As many as 400 ponds in the district have "vanished" due to encroachment and silting, the district administration today said.
District Magistrate Vimal Kumar Sharma has ordered the officials to identify the 400 "vanished ponds" in the district which might have been encroached by land mafias over the period of time.
Some of them have been buried under permanent structures such as residential colonies, schools and colleges, he said.
Those found involved in encroaching the ponds will be dealt with severely. Pecuniary fine will also be imposed upon them and a lease rent will be charged since the date of encroachment, he said.
Sharma further said that there are around 1600 ponds now in the district which will be looked after and (district) administration has forwarded a proposal to the state government regarding this.
After getting the permission the pools can be handed over the various institutions, industrial houses and NGOs for a period of 5 years for their maintenance and upkeep under the supervisions of administration so that they may not grab them, he added.
