MC fails to keep check on purity of RO water plant

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, September 21

As the water being supplied to areas in and around the district carries a high degree of uranium content in drinking water, which causes cancer and joint problem, the state government had installed RO plants to provide safe drinking water to the residents.

Water from these RO plants is supplied in 20 litre cans at a very nominal price and a large number of people come to these plants for collecting water. But there is no check on the purity of water being supplied by these plants and even proper samples have never been taken for conducting purity tests.

RTI activist Sanjiv Goyal, a resident of Model Town, had sought information under RTI from the MCB regarding the RO plants. During the hearing, MCB XEN Kishore Bansal gave an affidavit in which it was stated that the company, which conducts sample tests, has submitted only 73 sample reports to the MCB in the last two years.

If we will calculate that 50 samples should have been conducted in a month, then in one year around 600 samples were to be conducted by the company.

Anjana Rani, councillor of Ward No. 41, said the RO plant was installed in her ward, but she had never seen anyone taking the sample of water from here.

She demanded that sample test of water from the RO plant should be held every month on a regular basis as this issue is directly related with people’s health.

Senior Deputy Mayor Tarsem Goyal said it was a serious offence and the contractor should be taken to task as why they were not doing sample tests properly and regularly of all the RO plants in the city.

He said, “Last year, I personally monitored day-to-day reports of sample tests of the RO plants, but later they discontinued and nobody bothered.”

It is pertinent to mention that even if samples were taken earlier, then checking of pesticides of around 30 chemicals had not been done. However, it is mandatory to check 44 types of chemicals and label every month.

This is the major reason as despite a number of efforts, problems like joint pain, cancer, teeth problem, skin issues, hair problem and others are on the rise in this area.

The Municipal Corporation had installed 52 RO plants in the city and its operation and maintenance contract of these plants had been given to SR Environment Engineers, Nindi Foundation company, which has conducted test of only 14 samples of chemicals, while no test has been conducted to check pesticides, mineral oil, radioactive and around 30 chemicals in the RO plant water.

RTI activist seeks information 

RTI activist Sanjiv Goyal, a resident of Model Town, had sought information under RTI from the MCB regarding the RO plants. During the hearing, MCB XEN Kishore Bansal gave an affidavit in which it was stated that the company, which conducts sample tests, has submitted only 73 sample reports to the MCB in the last two years.