India, Jan. 11 -- Locals in Sidipur village of Bisrakh have volunteered and restored the village pond, which was earlier allegedly neglected and just a symbolic green space and has now emerged as a functional water body.

The restoration was carried out with support from a social enterprise setup Development Alternatives and HCL Foundation under the Natural Ecosystem Restoration Programme (NERP) --a global initiative that works towards restoring ecological functions. The Sidipur pond revival forms part of the "Humare Talab, Hamari Pehchaan" and the "Jal Connect: ReStorying Our Ponds" campaigns, both aimed at rebuilding community ties with local water systems that have been historically central to rural life.

Environment experts say such ...