Water samples from Fazilka villages fail test

Praful Chander Nagpal
Fazilka, September 11

All 25 water samples taken from villages and various drains in the district have failed the quality test. The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) had taken the samples last month.

Official sources said the samples were taken from two sources — hand pumps and tubewells at 10 border villages from Kadar Baksh to Gharumi stretch, the worst-affected area. Besides, the samples were also taken from five different drains, including Ditch channel, Sabuana, Fazilka, Mauzam drains and Sutlej creek.

“Prima facie we can say all samples have failed the test,” said Rohit Singla, SDO, PPCB. He said a meeting of all stakeholders would be organised by the district administration and it would be discussed on what parameters the samples had failed the test.

The samples were taken on the directions of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) after a petition filed by a local progressive farmer, Vikram Ahuja, who had claimed that the subsoil water in nearly 132 villages of border district had become unfit for human consumption and irrigation.

The NGT had directed the Deputy Commissioner, Fazilka, Punjab Pollution Control Board, Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board and the Local Bodies Department to submit a “factual and action-taken report” by August 25. Deputy Commissioner, Fazilka, was made the nodal officer. But the report is yet to be submitted.

Ahuja had claimed that 21 major drains and many sub-drains carrying sewage from various parts of the state had contaminated subsoil water of these villages. He provided that the alarming count of the total dissolved solids (TDS), fecal coliform (F Coli) and total suspended solids (TSS) gathered under the RTI Act for 21 drains to the tribunal.

Manpreet Singh, Deputy Commissioner, had last month said untreated water in five districts — Moga, Ferozepur, Faridkot, Muktsar and Fazilka — was being dumped into drains which reached Fazilka, affecting the water quality.

Action on NGT directive

The samples were taken on the directions of the NGT after a petition filed by a local progressive farmer, Vikram Ahuja, who had claimed that the subsoil water in nearly 132 villages of border district had become unfit for human consumption and irrigation. The NGT had directed the Deputy Commissioner, Fazilka, PPCB, Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board and the Local Bodies Department to submit a “factual and action-taken report” by August 25. Deputy Commissioner, Fazilka was made the nodal officer. 

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