Canal releases "black" water, farmers protest

Quote: Samples taken

Samples of raw water have been sent to the state lab in Jaipur. The experts will examine the chemical parameters. -Bal Ram Sharma, Superintending Engineer

Raj SadoshAbohar, April 6

Upset over the supply of contaminated water through the Gang canal, farmers on Tuesday held a protest at the Gang canal terminal in Sadhuwali village on the Punjab-Rajasthan border, and burnt effigies of the Prime Minister, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, and former Chief Ministers Vasundhara Raje and Parkash Singh Badal.

The protesters said the canal, which originated from Ferozepur headworks and passed through Fazilka, had to be closed for reconstruction work from March 30 to April 25. The Water Resources Department had decided to store water for drinking in between Khakha and Dabli headworks, and no water was to be released to fields during the closure. “However, from Sunday, the canal started releasing contaminated black water, which had been stored for water works. The water carried along with it dead fish as well,” they said.

Kisan Sangharsh Samiti (KSS) district president Amar Singh Bishnoi, along with Gurlal Singh Brar, Rameshwer Lal Kadwasra, Radheyshyam Bishnoi, Jeet Singh Sandhu, Manohar Lal Bishnoi, Gurpinder Singh Bains, Satpal Bishnoi, Gagan Kaswan, Chander Pratap and others, shouted slogans against the Union Government, Punjab and Rajasthan.

KSS spokesperson Subhash Sehgal said the centre and the state had been approached many times in the past 20 years. Videos and pictures had been presented to draw their attention to the unchecked release of chemical waste and sewerage water into the Sutlej and the Beas. The National Green Tribunal had fined the Punjab Government. Meetings were held with the Punjab Pollution Control Board. Rajasthan Chief Ministers had spoken to their Punjab counterparts Parkash Singh Badal and Captain Amarinder Singh, but the problem was not solved.

People in Malwa region of Punjab, Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh districts in west Rajasthan have been suffering various diseases due to contaminated water. It has caused harm to animals and the environment.

Water Resources Department Superintending Engineer Bal Ram Sharma said samples of raw water had been sent to the state lab in Jaipur. The experts had been requested to examine the chemical parameters, he said. Pre-chlorination had been ordered in all rural and urban water works as a precautionary measure, Sharma said. The matter would be taken up with Punjab officials, he said.