F’bad sewage flows into Gurugram, Agra canals

Bijendra Ahlawat

Tribune News Service

Faridabad, July 26

Sewage is reportedly being emptied into the twin canals of Gurugram and Agra passing through the city. Though this activity is illegal, the department concerned claims that it acts swiftly against violators.

Hundreds of gallons of sewage collected from various residential areas in Faridabad is dumped daily into the canals. Tankers can be found stationed on the bridge over the canals at any point of time.

A large number of tankers are reportedly being used overtime in the region to dispose of the waste in this manner, according to sources.

The waste water being emptied into the canals can be both treated and untreated. The absence of a master sewer in the Neharpar area is probably the main reason for this activity. 

“I have noticed several tankers releasing sewage into these canals in the past few days,” said a local resident on the condition of anonymity.

Describing the activity as unjustifiable, Varun Sheokand, a social activist, claimed that a sewage tanker mafia was operational in the region.

He said the income of this mafia could run into crores due to the absence of sewerage in the area with a population of more than 50,000.

Illegal dumping of waste in and along the canals had rendered the environment unhealthy, with a sharp rise in the number of cases of malaria and other diseases, he added.

The 30-km Gurugram canal had virtually been turned into a sewage drain with the water therein hardly fit for the purpose for which it had been built, said AK Gaur, another local resident.

Admitting that release into or withdrawal from the canals was illegal, BS Rawat, Executive Engineer, Irrigation Department, said violators were is liable to face legal action.

He said supervisory staff had been deployed for routine inspection and violators had been penalised as per provisions in a couple of instances that were brought to his notice.

The department would step up its vigil and seek the cooperation of local residents to check this illegal activity, he asserted.

While the Agra canal is owned by the Uttar Pradesh Government, the Gurugram canal belongs to Haryana. Both canals begin from the Okhla barrage and run side by side till Ballabgarh.