Originally reported and written in January 2023, this story has been republished as part of our archival content.

Anshul Gupta, a 2016-batch officer of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) became commissioner of the Ujjain Municipal Corporation, Madhya Pradesh in late 2021. 

One of the first tasks he undertook was to restore a once-dilapidated pond called Yam Talaiya on the outskirts of the temple city Ujjain, located on the banks of the Kshipra River. Measuring 4.2 acres, it’s a secondary pond which flows from the primary Vishnu Sagar Talab and channels from nearby farm fields.

This was once a pond of great importance to farmers residing nearby and the Chitragupta Mandir, a Hindu temple associated with the birthplace of Lord Chitragupta — the deity entrusted with keeping records of deeds committed by human beings in their sojourn on Earth.

However, the pond suffered from years of negligence, resulting in excess deposition, which in turn reduced its water-holding capacity by a significant margin.

Making matters worse, invasive weeds began dominating native species, and encroachments from nearby farm fields choked the very life of this pond. In other words, what Commissioner Anshul Gupta found was a pond in desperate need of restoration.

“Upon visiting the main Vishnu Sagar Talab, I discovered a stark difference between primary and secondary ponds. I visited the temple as well, where the resident priest told me the significance of this temple from ancient times. In past excavations, ancient idols were found at the secondary pond, indicating the location’s rich historical value,” recalls Anshul Gupta, who was appointed commissioner in September 2021,........

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