Expressing shock over the massive contamination of the state’s river waters due to the unchecked flow of industrial waste into them, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday asked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led Punjab Government to resolve the issue immediately.
“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 groundwater of the area besides causing resultant diseases. Some people also use the canal water for drinking purposes which is now dangerous to do so,” said Sukhbir, Ferozepur MP.
Sukhbir said that it was shocking that despite complaints since the last few days of the entire water being polluted at Harike headworks where the Sutlej 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 Satluj and Beas waters at Harike. The government is also not making any haste to complete work on 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,” he pointed out.