Four historic ponds in Varanasi to be cleaned

Four historic ponds in Varanasi will be cleaned in a joint effort by ONGC, NBCC and the civic body of the Uttar Pradesh city.
An MoU was signed yesterday among the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), National Buildings Construction Corporation Ltd (NBCC) and Varanasi Nagar Nigam (VNN) for cleanliness and beautification of four historic ponds in Varanasi.
As per the MoU, ONGC will provide Rs 11.46 crore, under its CSR, to executing agency NBCC for cleaning of four ponds - Durga Kund, Lakshmi Kund, Sarangnath Kund and Lat Bhairav Kund - in Varanasi, the Union Urban Development Ministry said in a release today.

NBCC will also carry out upkeep of the ponds for a period of five years, it said.
There are 65 kunds in Varanasi that are of historical significance.
"ONGC has undertaken four kunds as a pilot ... Paving way for other players to step in," the statement said.