Survey
Map the pond's full original area, its inlets and its catchment, and record encroachments and sewage outfalls.
Ponds and lakes in Puducherry
976ponds, out of 1,171 water bodies
The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 1,171 water bodies in Puducherry. 484 of them were not in use and 34 had been encroached upon. Pick a district below to see its ponds on a map, village by village.
What the census counted in Puducherry
484 of 1,171 water bodies (41%) are not in use: dried up, silted, built over or polluted. Bringing them back is one of the cheapest ways to recharge groundwater.
1,171ponds, tanks, lakes and other water bodies
976of them are ponds (83%)
59%still in use (687)
34encroached upon
- Ponds976
- Tanks44
- Lakes140
- Reservoirs6
- Check dams and percolation tanks4
- Others1
Source: 1st Census of Water Bodies, Ministry of Jal Shakti (counted in 2018-19, published 2023).
Ponds in each district of Puducherry
Districts ranked by number of ponds. The bar shows ponds; the line under each name shows all water bodies and how many are not in use.
Groundwater in Puducherry
Ponds are one way rain gets back into the ground. See how hard Puducherry is pumping its groundwater, district by district.
Bringing a pond in Puducherry back
Most ponds that are not in use can be revived. The work is the same in a village or a city sector:
Desilt
Dig out the silt that has sealed the bed, so water soaks into the ground again instead of evaporating.
Reconnect
Clear and line the channels that bring rain in, with a silt trap before the pond; divert sewage away from it.
Recharge
Add recharge shafts or wells in the bed where the soil is tight, so water reaches the aquifer faster.
Protect
Fence or plant the banks, mark the boundary and hand upkeep to the panchayat or residents' body.
Frequently asked questions
How many ponds are there in Puducherry?
The 1st Census of Water Bodies (Ministry of Jal Shakti, counted in 2018-19, published 2023) counted 976 ponds in Puducherry, out of 1,171 water bodies in all.
How many lakes are there in Puducherry?
The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 140 lakes and 6 reservoirs in Puducherry, along with 44 tanks.
How many water bodies in Puducherry are not in use?
484 of the 1,171 water bodies (41%) were not in use when counted: dried up, silted, cut off from their catchment, polluted or built over. 34 had been encroached upon.
Which district of Puducherry has the most ponds?
Karaikal, with 579 ponds and 580 water bodies in all, according to the 1st Census of Water Bodies.
How do ponds help groundwater in Puducherry?
A working pond holds rain long enough for it to soak into the ground and refill wells and borewells nearby. A silted or encroached pond sends that rain down the drain instead. Desilting, reopening inlets and adding recharge shafts in the pond bed are among the cheapest ways to recharge groundwater.