Untreated sewage entering N-choe in Mohali area: Central Pollution Control Board

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Chandigarh, March 19

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has observed that domestic untreated sewage was being discharged into the N-choe at different locations in Mohali district.

In compliance to the directions of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the Regional Directorate (Chandigarh) of the CPCB carried out a survey and monitoring of the N-choe to assess the water quality of the drain from the point of origin to the point where it merges into Ghaggar river, on January 29 and 31 this year.

Places where drain gets polluted

• The CPCB team finds sewage pipeline damaged at a point near Punjab School Education Board in Phase 8 due to which dirty was being discharged into the N-choe.
• The team found two discharge points near the Mohali Hockey Stadium and solid waste was also being dumped at these points.
• At the third location near Centre of Innovative Applied Bioprocessing at Chilla Manauli village, it was observed that a high volume of untreated sewage was being discharged into the N-choe. Solid waste was also found dumped at this point.

In the survey report submitted to the green tribunal, the CPCB stated that during the survey, it was found that the originating point of the N-Choe at Bougainvillea Garden, Sector 3, was found in dry condition. The team observed that in the Sector 36 end point, sewage pipeline crossing the drain has been repaired now. It was broken earlier and sewage used to flow into the N-choe. All discharge points located in Sectors 36 (Hibiscus garden) and 42 were found tapped.

However, the team surveyed the N-choe in the Mohali area and observed that domestic untreated sewage was being discharged into it at different locations.

The team took samples from the N-choe at Sector 83, behind the Industrial Area, Mohali (at entry point of SAS Nagar) and 1 km before the confluence of the drain and Ghaggar river at Sarala Khurd village, Rajpura, to assess the water quality.

The sample analysis result indicated that biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) of the N-Choe at the entry point of Mohali was 31 mg/l and chemical oxygen demand (COD) was 111 mg/l. The BOD increased to 50 mg/l and COD 156 mg/l at Sarala Khurd.

The monitoring parameters i.e. BOD and COD, showed increasing trend in the Punjab area which indicated that untreated waste water was discharged into the drain. ‘

The team also interacted with local people and learnt that the drain carried domestic untreated waste water of the villages located along the drain.

At the time of visit, the team monitored the Ghaggar before and after entry of the drain to assess the impact on the water quality. It was found that the BOD level in the river were increased from 27mg/l to 31 mg/L in downstream after the confluence. The BOD level was found non-complying to primary water quality criteria for outdoor bathing at monitored locations. The Fecal Coliform (FC) levels in the river were found to be non-complying to the criteria.