With an aim to recharge the ground water table in parched Sonebhadra region state government has decided to build 1500 check dams at the cost of Rs 450 crore in this district. Chief Secretary Atul Kumar Gupta who led a delegation of senior officials to Sonebhadra on Monday to get the first hand account of the progress in development schemes announced that Government was committed to improve environment of the region. The villagers also voiced concern over depleted water level in the region that was affecting the life and the agriculture. "At least 37 Check dams would be set up over Pandu and Bakhar rivers before the onset of this monsoon. The aim is to conserve 15,30,000 lakh cubic meter water. This would help in irrigation of more than 52 hectare of land and would help in recharge of 1,53,000 cubic meter ground water," Gupta said in a release issued here on Monday. He said the need of the hour is to protect every drop of rain water and therefore this area needs more dams. The Government has decided to build series of check dams in a systematic manner. Chief Minister Mayawati has approved a project worth Rs 450 crore, he said. To ensure these dams work properly village level monitoring committees would be set up. These committees would use MGNREGS money for clearing silt in these dams from time to time so that water level is maintained. "To further improve the environment trees would be grown around these check dams. The target is to grow Arjun trees in 1000 acre of area every year. This would help in arresting soil erosion as well as improve the environment," he said. Senior officials of social welfare department, agriculture department, Minor Irrigation department and forest department took part in the meeting held at Kanchanrawa village in Chopan tehsil.