Tung Dhab drain’s beautification in limbo

Charanjit Singh Teja

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Amritsar, August 12

The proposal of rejuvenation and beautification of Tung Dhab drain under the Smart City project seems a distant dream. No effort has been made so far by the Amritsar Smart City Limited (ASCL).

The ASCL had announced a pilot project under natural cleaning of the drain as well beautification of the edge condition was to be undertaken. The proposal consisted of two parts – water cleaning project as proposed by National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) as well as landscape beautification of the edge under the scope of the ASCL. However, the NEERI backed out of the ambitious project of cleaning the drain citing highly-toxic elements. However, the ASCL still has the project on its list.

ASCL announced pilot project

The ASCL had announced a pilot project under natural cleaning of the drain as well beautification of the edge condition was to be undertaken. The proposal consisted of two parts – water cleaning project as proposed by National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) as well as landscape beautification of the edge under the scope of the ASCL. However, the NEERI backed out of the ambitious project of cleaning the drain citing highly-toxic elements. However, the ASCL still has the project on its list.

According to the proposal, the entire stretch of around 2.2 km will consist of a one continuous walking trail-cum-jogging track. Other activities include open air theater, sculpture park, children’s play zone, flower garden and plaza. These series of activities will make the edge interesting.

Dug up in 1955 to prevent floods, the drain originates from Gurdaspur. Its toxic effluents made it a fit case to study, which has been done by multiple agencies. All these studies pointed out that persistently toxic industrial effluents were being released into the drain, which resulted in highly-contaminated groundwater and poor air quality around it.

Heavy metals, chemicals and industrial effluents have percolated into sub-soil and aquifers, which adversely affects human health.

The studies were conducted by the PGIMER, Chandigarh, Chemistry Department of Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in collaboration with aquatic biology laboratory of GNDU. These studies found evidence of eye and skin ailments, endocrine disruptions, cancer and congenital defects among people, besides damaging children’s DNA.

Sandeep Singh, incharge, Project Implementing Unit, ASCL, said, “It was proposed a few years ago, but some other projects are in the pipeline. Several other agencies are involved in the rejuvenation of Tung Dhab drain so first they will clean it.”