Over 12 crore litres of surplus water in the Sarasvati channel stored in three ponds developed by Haryana Sarasvati Heritage Development Board (HSHDB).

Bohli pond stored over 8 crore litres, Marcheheri stored about 2.8 crore litres, and Rampura pond collected around 1.73 crore litres during recent floods.

[{"selector":"#anim-219b41db-8cf9-4eaf-a6c8-01b714aeb180","keyframes":{"transform":["rotate(-540deg) scale(0.1)","none"],"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"fill":"both","iterations":1}]

Ponds played a vital role in reducing water flow in the Sarasvati channel, preventing floods in Thanesar City.

[{"selector":"#anim-d5c90062-e37d-4452-95be-dce604df66d9","keyframes":{"transform":["rotate(-540deg) scale(0.1)","none"],"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"fill":"both","iterations":1}]

Muneesh Babbar, Executive Engineer of the board, stated that ponds aim to improve groundwater levels by channelizing and tapping surplus water.

[{"selector":"#anim-bb895666-d4d0-4f15-b419-74cc22d3a31b","keyframes":[{"offset":0,"transform":"translate3d(0, -258.55641%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.29,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.45,"transform":"translate3d(0, -72.70606249200002%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.61,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.71,"transform":"translate3d(0, -24.717992796000004%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.8,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.85,"transform":"translate3d(0, -9.282175119000001%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.92,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.96,"transform":"translate3d(0, -4.0334799960000005%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":1,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"}],"delay":0,"duration":600,"fill":"both"}]

Stored water will gradually soak into the land, improving groundwater levels and benefiting agriculture.

[{"selector":"#anim-1cc26139-c677-4e50-bccd-b9af74129309","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(114.20119%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.2, 0, .8, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e84e6621-ac8f-47ae-981c-b2f7aac2c1d5","keyframes":{"transform":["rotateZ(180deg)","rotateZ(0deg)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.2, 0, .5, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Dhuman Singh, vice-chairman of the board, highlighted plans to develop nine more ponds in Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, and Kaithal districts.

[{"selector":"#anim-d0722018-f031-4eaa-93e7-19bdc3d019a8","keyframes":{"transform":["rotate(-540deg) scale(0.1)","none"],"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"fill":"both","iterations":1}]

The initiative aims to link unused village ponds near the channel to tap surplus water and prevent future floods.

[{"selector":"#anim-bf7d44d7-20db-4483-a95a-80b310206b0f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f0150a79-613d-409e-b026-1bd3dd6de2db","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 619.46995%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Pragmatic and cost-effective solutions needed to protect people, livestock, and crops from recurrent flood cycles.

[{"selector":"#anim-8285d957-f366-4d7f-8877-b9adbf6f2ada","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(105.41236%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.2, 0, .8, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-88128849-bf0f-4522-93eb-030376c870d8","keyframes":{"transform":["rotateZ(180deg)","rotateZ(0deg)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.2, 0, .5, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Replication of similar initiatives along other rivers and canals recommended to create a flood-resilient and water-secure future in Haryana.

[{"selector":"#anim-84cc4356-b263-4f63-94a3-44e0a11acf6d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d28875cd-3ea1-413d-9591-c2eaa5be4b43","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 492.86305%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]