Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, June 3

A day after Jalandhar Tribune carried a report pertaining to the indiscriminate use of untreated, industrial waste flowing into Kala Sanghian Drain for irrigation purposes, various officials reacted to the issue by passing the buck.

People from all sections of society have demanded that it was high time that the administrators act tough and take required measures immediately to halt the use of contaminated water for the purpose.

A government doctor, who has worked at a Public Health Centre in Kala Sanghian, said the water could possibly have carcinogenic elements and the crops could find its route to mandis of Jalandhar and Kapurthala. She said the officials of the Punjab Pollution control Board (PPCB), agriculture departments, soils department and civil administration need to take a notice and get the needful done to safeguard the health of the residents.

Jalandhar Chief Agriculture Officer Dr Surinder Singh said, “During various inter-departmental meetings held, the PPCB officials had directed us to ensure that only treated water is used for irrigation purposes. We tell them that even if it is treated, it is important to get the discharge tested at the site on daily basis. But, so far, no regular water testing mechanism has been launched. When the farmers are told not to use drain water for the purpose without testing, they ignore the advice and put many lives at risk.”

On being contacted, Lupinder Singh from the Soils Department, said: “The best way to deal with the problem is to provide the farmers with an alternate plan to use treated water for watering the crops. Our department has given Rs9.7 crore plan to the administration as per which farmers from four villages, including Chamiara, Gill and Gakhal, could get the supply of MC’s treated water. There will be no industrial mix in this water and we will get it checked on daily basis. Water will be checked for three parameters — pH, electrical conductivity and sodium absorption ratio. An estimated 500 acres of fields could be covered under the plan. The water will be treated at STP of Basti Peer Daad. This STP has a capacity to treat 50 MLD water but we will use only 25 MLD from it on daily basis.”

On this, Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori said, “We have upgraded the STP at Basti Peer Daad. We had received tenders on Wednesday for CETP at Leather Complex for Rs25 crore. The bids are under evaluation. Eventually, the problem can be solved.”