Dibrugarh: Mitha Pukhuri, the 225-year-old royal pond dug by Ahom King Swargadeo Kamaleswar Singha in 1801, became the starting point on Thursday for a districtwide initiative to restore Jorhat’s public ponds and natural waterbodies. The civil defence department and the Jorhat municipal board has jointly launched the drive.Known as the “Sweet Pond,” Mitha Pukhuri is linked to a royal legend that its waters tasted sweet when used to wash idols and offerings. Located about 150 metres from the historic Burhi Gosani Devalaya, the pond has long supplied water for the deity’s sacred bathing rituals, a practice that continues to this day. During Durga Puja, the pond remains central to temple ceremonies.In recent years, the pond, like many other waterbodies in Jorhat, has faced encroachment, pollution and neglect, adding urgency to the restoration effort.The launch of the initiative was attended by Jorhat MLA Hitendra Nath Goswami, district development commissioner Shyamal Kshetra Gogoi and Jorhat municipal board chairperson Lakhimi Khargaria, among others.“Mitha Pukhuri is a living piece of Assam’s Ahom heritage and a spiritual lifeline for this community. It is our collective duty to restore and preserve it for future generations. I urge every citizen of Jorhat to join hands in keeping our waterbodies clean and alive,” Goswami said.“After Mitha Pukhuri we will systematically cover every public pond and natural waterbody across Jorhat district in a phased manner. Clean waterbodies are essential not just for ecology but for public health and community well-being,” Gogoi said.
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