Pollution concerns Seechewal

Jalandhar: Noted environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal has expressed concern over the death of aquatic species in Beas river. “A few years ago, fishes were found dead in Sutlej as well. However, the level of pollution was found so high there that even today, the aquatic life could not be revived back. Things have begun to get worse now in river Beas. There is a dire need to make strenuous efforts to end water pollution in beas or else, the move will prove deadly for the Doaba residents as well,” said Seechewal.

Further slamming the state government, Seechewal said that citing fund crisis it has failed to get the rivers clean from pollutants.

“Does fund scarcity give them a licence to kill people by supplying them contaminated water? Even the Sewerage treatment Plants (STPs) installed by them were inadequate and were not working according to their capacity,” said Seecehwal.

Once known for its clean and serene waters, Beas for the past several years has been at the receiving end of waste disposal from both Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.

Kullu from where the river originates, has only 40% of its houses with a sewerage connection to an STP, and the rest goes directly into the river. Upon entering Punjab, the river faces further degradation as the Doaba region is a filthy stretch, he said. TNS