Joint panel: Dirty water from houses finding way into pond

Ravinder Saini

Rewari, December 25

A joint committee, comprising sarpanch, officials of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) and district administration, has found that dirty water discharged from houses of Kharkhara village here is collecting into the village pond.

The committee has stated this in its report recently submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which is hearing a complaint in this regard.

“It is evident from the report that there is discharge of effluents into the water bodies, causing pollution, and no effective action has been taken by the authorities concerned. However, cognisance was taken suo motu on a letter petition,” observed the NGT.

It stated, “We find that formal parties are not being impleaded, therefore, we direct the impleadment of Haryana State through Secretary (Panchayati Raj and Rural Development), HSPCB through its member secretary, Rewari District Magistrate, Haryana Pond and Waste Management Authority, Panchkula, through its member secretary and Gram Panchayat Kharkhara as respondents.”

Sources said notices would be issued to the respondents, enabling them to file their response within a month. The case would come up for hearing on February 22.

In his complaint, Prakash Yadav of Kharkhara had claimed that dirty water being discharged from houses accumulated in the village pond after flowing through drains. It was not only polluting the pond, but also affecting the quality of groundwater. Many villagers, especially children, had fallen ill after consuming contaminated water, he stated.

Acting on the complaint, the NGT had formed the joint committee to inspect the spot and ascertain the veracity of the complaint. The committee collected six samples of underground water from the pond and nearby locations last month.

In its report, it claimed that samples of underground and pond water had been found within the permissible limits, while drinking water supply showed that underground water was not contaminated. The Regional Officer, HSPCB, could not be contacted for comments.