The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is conducting Geographical Information System (GIS) mapping of all the ponds within its jurisdiction while it is also identifying lands which were previously water-bodies. The civic body presently is working on a war footing to protect ponds in the city, which are fast filling up for real estate development purposes in the wake of a population burst in the city. A KMC official said that the civic body has launched a full scale inspection according to strict instructions by Mayor Firhad Hakim. “We will digitise all the data pertaining to the number of existing ponds within all 144 wards of the civic body. The GIS mapping also involves allocating specific code numbers to each of the ponds. This will help us in keeping proper records of these water bodies and take action in case one of these ponds are found filled up.”