Chandigarh: Leader of Opposition Sukhpal Singh Khaira has written to Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) to take immediate corrective measures to clean contaminated rivers of Punjab.
He writes
Punjab known as land of five rivers once had the cleanest and healthiest water, unfortunately over the past couple of decades the same water has turned into poison spreading terminal diseases like cancer, hepatitis, renal failure etc., on a very large scale.
Needless to mention clean water, clean air and clean earth are the main ingredients for the survival of humanity. Even our “Gurbani” attaches immense importance to the three gifts of nature “Pawan Guru, Paani Pita, Mata Dharat Mahat” (Gurbani equates air with god, water with a father and earth with a mother).
We are sure you would agree with us that presently the colour of our rivers, canals, rivulets, drains etc. has changed to black due to unchecked waste of various types being discharged with impunity. The latest example of such poisonous discharge came to light due to the Chadha Industry spillage incident, that caused colossal damage to our ecology, besides killing lacs of fish and other aquatic animals in the river Beas. The said incident brought to centre stage the burning issue of poisonous waters flowing in our rivers and the canals of the state.
We received alarming calls from different parts of the state with people complaining about contaminated water flowing in the canals and also dangerous levels of pollution in the ground water. We made a special spot visit to Khudian Pul in Lambi constituency to inspect the quality of water flowing in the two canals of Sirhind feeder and the Rajasthan feeder. To our utter surprise water in both the canals that is used for drinking purposes in the Malwa region as well as Rajasthan, was severely contaminated and blackish in colour.
Thereafter, we visited the “Buddah-Nullah” in Ludhiana at a point in V. Walipur where it merges with river Sutlej, here too it was shocking to see black water of the said “Nullah” merging with the river water. People in the surrounding villages complained of cancer, hepatitis etc. in large numbers, besides complaining of severe diseases amongst their animals too.
We even visited V. Buttar Sivian in Amritsar where industrial waste and untreated water is being discharged into a drain by the Rana Sugars Ltd., owned by a powerful Congress leader and former Minister. Here too people complained of various terminal diseases and blindness being caused due to unchecked fly ash coming out of the chimney’s of the industry. So is the case in the distillery division of Rana Sugars Ltd. at V. Lohke in Taran Taran, where bad affluents are being discharged with impunity into the fields, ground and even panchayat land. (complaints of both the industries have already been forwarded to your office)
It is pertinent to mention here, that most of the distilleries and sugar mills are either owned directly by powerful politicians or are indirectly connected to them. Hence, it has come to our notice that the government often dithers to take concrete action against them, despite blatant breaking of pollution norms by these industries. For example although the Chadha Mill was fined Rs. 5 crore but no criminal action was initiated against them, as they are closely connected to the ruling dispensation of the state.
Even Capt. Amarinder Singh Chief Minister has recently admitted that more than 80 percent Sewerage Treatment Plants (STP’s) are non functional in the cities of Punjab. That means most of the waste of cities is flowing unchecked into our rivers through rivulets like “Buddah-Nullah”. These assertions have also been confirmed by the spot visit of Mr. O.P Soni Environment Minister to Ludhiana yesterday, particularly about his observations about pollution being generated by the dyeing industry in your presence.
We have also come to know that most of the industry of Punjab are directly discharging untreated water, affluents and waste into the ground within their premises by digging huge borewells and avoiding to use appropriate treatment measures as prescribed by the PPCB.
We suggest that a cancer survey be conducted around vicinity of all major industries of Punjab, to find out the quantum of such terminal diseases being spread due to discharge of bad affluents both over and below the ground.
Therefore, we request that appropriate strict and immediate corrective measures be taken by the PPCB to cleanse the poison being spread in our rivers, canals, drain etc,. so that people can be saved from terminal diseases like cancer, hepatitis etc. We also urge for strict measures to check air pollution being generated by the industry causing people blindness and other ailments like lung diseases etc.
We hope that the PPCB would act swiftly to cleanse the “Kali-Bein” of Kapurthala as the 550 years birth celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev ji are coming up shortly and the “Kali Bein” is historically connected to our first Guru Sahib.