People gear up to make Markanda pollution-free

Suman Bhatnagar

Naraingarh (Ambala), Dec 4

After the failure of politicians to save Markanda from pollution, the residents of Naraingarh have stepped up to do the needful.

Since the name of the river is synonymous with Rishi Markandey, people of this area especially women revere its waters. Various social organisations and activists have launched a Save Markanda Campaign.

The river is polluted due to the discharge of untreated effluent from the industrial units located in Kala Amb in Himachal Pradesh. The bio-chemical oxygen demand (BOD) is 200 milligram per litre as against the permissible limit of just 3 mg per litre now.

Members of Swavimaan Sanstha, Gaurav Seva Dal, Pragti Siksha Samiti, All India Welfare Association along with former RTI commissioner Ashok Mehta, social activist Ruchi Walia, Zila Parishad member Dhoom Singh, municipal committee chief Amit Walia had taken out a candle march in Naraingarh a few days ago warned the authorities that it the discharge of effluents was not stopped by December 5, they would block the Naraingarh Highway.

Mehta said water from handpumps of a large number of villages along the river bank was been rendered unfit for human consumption.

The Haryana Pollution Control Board had taken up this matter with the HP government a number of time but to no avail. The matter was also brought to the notice of the Central Pollution Control Board and was also raised in state Assembly.