National Rainfed Area Authority working under the Planning Commission has cautioned Haryana Government against digging of new lakes and ponds. The Authority has said that it is an expensive choice and it is a futile measure to store rainwater. It is not a good option as new and proven techniques to store rainwater are available. The state government’s proposal to dig a new lake near Karnal using central funds had been recently turned down by the authority due to these reasons. The authority has stressed on the use of scientific methods for recharging of ground water using existing ponds and lakes and said that water storage in the open water bodies led to fast evaporation in the changing climatic conditions so it is not a wise option.