A joint team of the officials from the Punjab Government and the Chandigarh Administration would monitor the causes of unabated pollution in the Ghaggar river. A decision to this effect was taken during a high-level meeting between Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Shivraj Patil and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Tuesday.
The joint team of Punjab and UT officials would also have the officers from the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) “to monitor the sources of untreated waste water” in the Ghaggar.
During the meeting, Badal apprised the Governor that untreated sewage and sub-standard treated waste water of Chandigarh city was carried by Sukhna choe into Ghaggar river in Punjab. Reiterating his firm commitment to make the rivers of the State clean and pollution free, he sought Patil’s personal intervention for checking the unabated discharge of polluted water into Ghaggar river through Sukhna choe (astream).
Patil asked the officers of the Chandigarh administration to gear up the entire machinery for ensuring completion of entire work related to stopping of untreated waste water discharge into river Ghaggar through Sukhna choe passing through the city within stipulated time period.
Issuing a warning, Patil maintained that any laxity or inordinate delay on the part of the officers in executing these projects of paramount public importance would not be tolerated at any cost.
Besides, directions have also been issued to the officers to submit monthly reports regarding the progress of the work to the Chief Minister's Office. Earlier, Badal pointed that untreated waste water from Sukhna choe was causing a major health hazard for the people living along with the Ghaggar, due to which they were facing a lot of hardships.
He pointed that there were eight vulnerable points in Chandigarh through which untreated waste water or sewage was being thrown in the Ghaggar river, adding that the need of the hour was to plug these points.
Impressing upon Patil to take an immediate action in this regard, Badal said that a survey conducted by PPCB has recently identified these points at IT Park, Kishangarh, Indira Colony, Shastri Colony, Manimajra, Bapu Dham Colony, Dariya, Hallomajra, STPs at Raipur Khurd and Raipur Kalan as the main sources of pollution in river Ghaggar.
Badal, listing the steps initiated by the state government to reduce pollution in Satluj, Beas and Ghaggar rivers, said that Sewerage Treatment Plants have been set across the state besides a close tab was being kept on the industrial units to disallow flowing of untreated waste water in the rivers.
Responding to the issues raised by the Chief Minister, Patil said that every step would be taken to ensure zero discharge of untreated waste water in the Sukhna Choe which drains into river Ghaggar. He said that the administration has already given in principle approval for sanctioning funds worth `2.5 crore to plug the points causing pollution in the Ghaggar.