Borewells in industrial units polluting water

Gurvinder Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 5

There needs to be a strict check on industrial units for any illegal borewells, and prevent these from being used for releasing waste water or industrial effluents directly in to the groundwater, in the absence of treatment plants.

Though, the Punjab Pollution Control Board has announced a cash award for anyone informing about industrial effluents being thrown in the groundwater through borewells, but a lot more needs to be done.

However, allowing rainwater harvesting system in the industrial units will only increase the chances of it releasing waste water through borewells, which needs to be stopped, say environmentalists.

They say harvesting system should be disallowed in industrial units.

“Surprisingly, rainwater harvesting in residential areas and homes is missing, but is being used in industrial units,” he said.

Lakhwinder, from Karkhana Mazdoor Union, said borewells in the industrial units remained undercover. Most of the workers remained oblivious to the presence of such borewells.

“There is an urgent need to crackdown on violators because releasing effluents through borewell can pollute groundwater in the area of 25 km,” said Dr Amandeep Singh Bains from RBS Roots.

“In fact, not just industrial units, but illegal colonizers are also a threat to groundwater. There have been instances of illegal colonizers of digging up borewells. They don’t built proper sewerage system, leading to sewage getting down through borewells, which pollute the groundwater,” he added.

Homes without rainwater harvesting

• The Punjab Pollution Control Board has announced a cash award for anyone informing about industrial effluents being thrown in the groundwater through borewells. 
• Allowing rainwater harvesting system in the industrial units will only increase the chances of it releasing waste water through borewells, which needs to be stopped. 
• Rainwater harvesting is missing in residential areas and homes.