Mangalore: The New Mangalore Port Trust has dug a pond near the railway yard at Panambur to mark World Environment Day-2011, on a marshland to harvest rainwater. In a week the heavy rains in city have obliged the Trust, by pouring water in to the pond, spread over 4 acres of land, according to Civil Superintendent Engineer of the Port, A.V Harinath. The pond, he added, was 1.5 metres deep (5 feet). The area had been cleaned 3 months earlier, he said.
The pond will replenish the wells and ground waters around the dry region. The pond was big enough to have an island in the middle, with 200 saplings planted on it. A week long environmental campaign was conducted by Radio Mirchi, but organised by NMPT. A cricket match rounded up the campaign having employers and port users as players, besides MCF, KIOCL, state Petroleum Board, steamers’ associates, and Cleaning & Forwarding Agents with their cheer-leading families. The NMPT message was that everyone was responsible to maintain surroundings neat and clean.