हिंदी
(Asks AAP govt to check free flow of industrial waste into river waters)
Chandigarh, May 20 2022
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today expressed shock at the massive contamination of river waters of the State due to unchecked flow of industrial waste into them and asked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government to resolve this issue immediately.
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In a statement here, the SAD President said widespread reports of polluted water which was dark black in colour being released into the Ferozepur feeder canal from Harike headworks had created a fear psychosis amongst people of the district. “I have been approached by my constituents who fear that this polluted water will not only adversely affect their agricultural produce, but will also contaminate the ground water of the area besides causing resultant diseases. Some people also use the canal water for drinking purposes which is now dangerous to do so”.
Mr Sukhbir Badal said it was shocking that despite complaints since the last few days of the entire water being polluted at Harike headworks where the Sutluj and Beas rivers merge, no action had been taken to check release of pollutants in the rivers. “There are reports of rampant industrial waste being allowed to flow into the Budha Nullah at Ludhiana which mixes with the Satluj and Beas waters at Harike. The government is also not making any haste to complete work on the Jamalpur treatment project which is expected to tackle the pollution caused by domestic sewage waste. Similarly dairy waste is also being allowed to flow into the river waters resulting in their present day pollution”.
Asking chief minister Bhagwant Mann to take immediate corrective steps, Mr Badal said it was condemnable that various State governments were indulging in a blame game on this sensitive issue. “While the Water Resources department has issued an advisory urging people not to use the water for drinking purposes, the Pollution Control Board, which is responsible for checking entry of industrial pollutants into the river waters, is claiming that the water is drinkable after treatment”.
Asking the AAP government to come out with a policy to clean the State river systems accompanied with a zero tolerance towards polluters, Mr Badal said the lackadaisical attitude of the earlier Congress government on this issue had emboldened polluters. “We have seen how polluted groundwater has resulted in the increase of incidence of cancer in the Malwa region. We must tackle this issue on a war footing”.
