After 28-day closure, polluted water flows in canals

Raj Sadosh

Abohar, April 24

Highly contaminated, black-coloured water was seen flowing in most of the canals this afternoon after about 10,000 cusecs of water was released in the Ferozepur Feeder, Indira Gandhi Canal and the Gang Canal from Harike Barrage on Sunday.

The water received after a 28-day closure carried waste on its way from the canal system, besides the stinking pond reserve water that had been stored before March 26 to meet emergencies, sources said. Farmers said most of the sub-canals in Sriganganagar were neither repaired nor cleansed. The situation was no different in Abohar.

Sriganganagar based Public Health Department lab technician Prabha Bansal said water samples were taken from six villages last week and tests indicated that the same carried 460 to 2,400 Coliform which is hazardous for health. It was observed that water works staff were not using bleaching powder even to filter water, she said.