21 Sep Completion of Environmental and Social Baseline Assessment of Ponds in Jaffna

Completion of environmental and social baseline assessment of ponds in Jaffna

An Environmental and Social Baseline Survey on Ponds within the Jaffna City Region was recently completed by MGC in April 2018. The consultancy was carried out for the World Bank funded Strategic Cities Development Project during 2017. The main objective in carrying out the assessment was to collect pertinent environmental and social baseline data on 40 ponds within the JMC for envisaged future rehabilitation activities.

The study was able to propose suitable rehabilitation activities for each of these 40 ponds taking into consideration all environmental and social data collected through the assessment. Key recommendations of the consultancy were to adopt an integrated approach to water quality management, especially with community involvement. Other important recommendations included the development of individual environmental management plans for the ponds and support from the relevant authorities (central government, provincial and local government) in these plans as well as an endorsement of identified water quality objectives for maintenance.