Bhubaneswar, June 18: The soaring mercury has had one good effect on civic official here - plan to revamp 67 water bodies.

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has chalked out a detailed plan to renovate and beautify the water bodies, and to start with work on 15 of them will be taken up in the first phase.

The first phase of the project would include revamp of tanks such as Haja pokhari in Sundarpada and Balunkeswar and Nilakentheswar ponds in Nayapalli and Patia, respectively.

According to corporation records, the city has 115 water bodies, but in many cases their ownership lies with organisations such as the Archaeological Survey of India or even private bodies. Of these 67 are under the control of the civic body.

The renovation programme will be taken up with an investment of around Rs 90 crore.

However in the first phase, the civic body will spend Rs 30 crore to renovate 15 ponds.

The renovation of water bodies in the city has been necessitated as mercury shot up alarmingly this summer breaching the 45°C mark.

"Well-maintained water bodies across the city will definitely help in maintaining a better and cooler environment as the water stretches help in bringing down temperature,'' said city-based environment expert Bijay Mishra.

Corporation's deputy commissioner (projects and public relations) Srimanta Mishra said: "The civic body hopes to get around 60 per cent of funds from the Odisha Urban Infrastructure Development Fund, 30 per cent in the form of loan and generate the rest 10 per cent from its own resources.''

According to the plan, all the 15 ponds will be de-silted and de-weeded. Then retaining walls, 'parikramas', fences and benches for visitors will be build apart from lighting arrangements.

However, a senior corporation engineer said that the success of the project would depend on the availability of land around these bodies.

"The circular walkway surrounding the water body of these ponds and tanks would be made of cement instead of laterite stone as in the case of Bindusagar lake. Their environs will be landscaped," said the engineer.

Chhabindra Jena, former councillor of Sundarpada and Bhimtangi said: "There was a grand plan to develop a green zone around Haja pokhari so that people here can have an alternative location for recreation during evening hours. Hopefully this project will help realise this."

REVAMP LIST

Out of 67 water bodies across the city, 15 will be renovated this year. The plan includes renovation, repair and beautification of the water bodies with funds from Odisha Urban Infrastructure Development Fund and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation.

The first phase of the project, work for which will be taken up this year, will require approximately Rs 30 crore. The estimated cost of the entire project is around Rs 90 crore. Here’s the list of ponds to be renovated in the first phase