Raja Talab, Jharia's historical pond that is choking on dirt, may soon breathe easy.

On Sunday, its long-pending clean-up plan started its round two, with state-based implementing firm Sujit Construction excavating dry mud with a hydraulic excavator.

Around eight feet deep dry mud will be excavated.

Dhanbad Municipal Corporation (DMC) had awarded the contract worth Rs 58 lakh for dewatering and desilting the pond to Sujit Construction last year.

But, though the pond was dewatered - drained of its water - more than three months ago by constructing gullies on the eastern side of the pond, desilting couldn't start before summer as the soil was wet.

Sanitary inspector of DMC's Jharia circle Krishna Chaubey said the civic body would depute over two dozen labourers and task two tractors to transport mud. He hoped desiltation work would be over before monsoon.

Councillor of ward No. 37 Anup Sao, who has crusaded for the pond's clean-up, however, said he was apprehensive about the timely completion of the work.