Coimbatore : The State Municipal Administration Minister, S P Velumani on Sunday urged organisations to come forward to desilt ponds in the interest of public, so that water security can be ensured to the city.

Speaking at the desilting process of ‘Aiyyan Kuttai” known as Sundakamuthur Pond here, organised by an NGO Siruthuli, Velumani said that there was the need to protect water bodies by revamping and desilting.

The work is jointly being taken up with Baker and Huges, a GE Oil and Gas Company, which was to strengthen the bunds and also to clean the pond bed which was otherwise lying dry and barren, Siruthuli Managing Trustee,Vanitha Mohan said.

The pond had not been receiving inflows during rains as the inlets are chocked and will be cleared in this work to facilitate storage of water she said.

Once the pond starts receiving water during rains it is expected to improve the ground water levels significantly as the entire area is termed as a dry region with poor ground water levels.