Bhubaneswar: The civic administration has launched a large-scale cleaning and rejuvenation drive at 74 water bodies across the city. The exercise is being carried out using a combination of mechanised equipment and manual labour.Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) authorities have intensified efforts to remove weeds, floating waste, accumulated silt and other pollutants from ponds and tanks while improving overall hygiene and water quality at these sites.BMC executive engineer (drainage division) Priyabrata Behera said the cleaning strategy is being tailored to the specific conditions of each water body. “Depending on the nature and extent of silt deposition and weed growth, machines, nets and manual labour are being deployed at different locations,” Behera said.Work is nearing completion at several prominent ponds, including Sundarpada Pokhari, Baramunda Pond, Kapileswar Pokhari, Nua Pokhari and Tungi Pokhari. Restoration work at the historic Bindu Sagar pond near Lingaraj Temple is also on.Officials said the rejuvenation programme aims not only to clean the water bodies but also to restore their natural ecological character. Unlike conventional approaches that rely heavily on concrete structures, the restoration model seeks to create environmentally sustainable water bodies.“The embankments will be developed using excavated soil instead of concrete flooring. There will also be minimal use of iron grille so that the natural appearance and ecological function of the ponds are retained,” said an official associated with the project.Civic authorities have also trained personnel on scientific methods of pond restoration, including techniques to improve water quality and preserve the natural ecosystem. Experts involved in the exercise emphasised the importance of assessing the health of each water body before undertaking restoration measures.With the Kartik season on, BMC hopes the extensive clean-up drive will provide devotees with cleaner, safer and more environmentally sustainable water bodies across the city.