In a pioneering step towards water conservation and environmental sustainability, the Public Works Department (PWD) of Madhya Pradesh has launched the ‘Lok Kalyan Sarovar’ scheme, which is fast becoming a symbol of positive transformation. The initiative is a shining example of how development and environmental balance can go hand in hand.
Under the scheme, sites excavated for soil during road construction are being repurposed into permanent water structures. Remarkably, this is being achieved without any additional financial burden on the government. Construction agencies’ leftover pits are scientifically leveled and deepened to make them suitable for rainwater harvesting, resulting in groundwater recharge and benefiting local agriculture and rural life. The department has set a target to construct 500 ‘Lok Kalyan Sarovars’ across the state. The impact of this innovation is already visible in the Satna division, where construction of such sarovars at 15 sites in Satna and Maihar districts has been completed.
One of the key examples is from Govindpur, where during road construction on the Gulwar-Kothar route in Majhgawan, a sarovar spread across 27,600 square meters was created, having a water storage capacity of 69,000 cubic meters. Similarly, in New Mirgaoti, one sarovar spans 18,000 square meters, and another has a storage capacity of 37,800 cubic meters.
To enhance ecological value, tree plantations are being carried out along the edges of these water bodies. The use of tree guards ensures plant protection, providing long-term environmental and community benefits.
The ‘Lok Kalyan Sarovar’ scheme is no longer just an engineering innovation — it has emerged as a symbol of greenery, water conservation, and inclusive development.
Source & image: https://shorturl.at/clLq6
