Punjab is all set to get North India’s first Regional Advanced Water Testing laboratory which would check uranium, heavy metals and other harmful chemicals in drinking water. The hi-tech lab, to be inaugurated by the State Water Supply and Sanitation Minister Surjit Singh Rakhra on Tuesday, has been set up at Mohali.
“This laboratory is the first of its kind to be set up in Punjab. It would be established at a cost of Rs four crores with the help of Union Government and Bhabha Atomic Research Centre. All the technical assistance would be given by the scientists of the Bhabha Institute,” said an official spokesperson. He said that the setting up of highly advanced laboratory would check and treat the uranium and other harmful chemicals in drinking water.
Adding, he said that it was a matter of concern that as many as 10 districts of Punjab were affected with water containing uranium where as five districts were also infected with the harmful chemicals. Earlier, the water samples were being sent to Mumbai for testing purposes. But now with the setting up of the water testing lab in Mohali, not only Punjab but all the neighboring states would take advantage of water testing facilities.