Clean drain to Pakistan: panel
From Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service

AMRITSAR, Oct 16 — In a landmark order, the Punjab State Human Rights Commission has directed the local municipal corporation to prepare a scheme and get it financed by any institution within three months for the cleaning of the Tung Dhab drain which is causing pollution in India and Pakistan.

The flowing of sewage water and other effluent has got international ramifications as the drain flows into the territory of Pakistan.

The 19-page order of the commission reads: "It would leave no doubt that the drains passing through this locality, including the Tung Dhab drain, are highly polluted. So much so that there is danger of it creating an international problem because of the objections raised by the Pakistan Government to the discharge of highly-polluted effluent into its territory. This has been reported by the Principal Secretary, Environment".

The water flowing in the drain is being largely polluted by discharge of sewage water into it. This order was issued on a complaint filed by Mr Prabh Dayal Singh Randhawa, general secretary, Pollution Control Committee, Amritsar. The complaint preferred to pollution of the drain by the discharge of industrial effluent, sewage waters and sullage. This uncontrolled discharge has transformed the rain water drain into a drain of dirty, stinking water and, therefore, a potential danger to the health of people living around it. The commission in its order has found the civic body responsible for creating this health hazard.

The corporation has been found by the commission deficient in even discharging its duties enshrined in the Municipal Corporation Act, 1976, vide Section 44. The corporation is responsible not only for providing fresh, potable water but also for the disposal of waste material in an environment-friendly manner so that people’s health is not endangered.

The commission has felt that the corporation has been indifferent in making a plan for the treatment of sewage water. The commission has, therefore, recommended to the government "for using its authority in enforcing the preparation and implementation of an appropriate scheme expeditiously".

Significantly, the commission, by considering health hazards due to pollution, a violation of the human rights of the people, has ordered that non-availability and paucity of funds cannot be considered an alibi for the delay in formulating and implementing any scheme for a proper treatment of the sewage water. The commission has also asked the state’s Pollution Control Board to be strict in enforcing the standards of cleanliness by the civic body.

In its petition, the local pollution control committee had noted that residents living along the drain were facing danger to their lives due to pollution. It was alleged that a number of deaths had occurred due to polluted water. The authorities, including the Deputy Commissioner, took no remedial measures. The issue was also raised on the floor of the assembly.

The roll of the Pollution Control Board in this regard is crucial. The report submitted by board made it clear that 95 per cent of the discharge of effluent into these drains is from municipal resources and remaining 5 per cent is from industrial resources.