NGT panel visits Fazilka, takes water samples from drains

Our Correspondent

Fazilka, January 6

The state monitoring committee of National Green Tribunal visited Fazilka today to assess the condition of water being flown in different drains of the district and for an assessment of the plan to improve waste water management.

The committee comprising Jasbir Singh, retired Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, SC Aggarwal, former Chief Secretary of Punjab, and technical expert member Babu Ram was accompanied by NGT member Balbir Singh Seechewal.

Babu Ram said the panel took fresh water samples from four spots to get it tested. The Punjab Pollution Control Board had taken 25 samples from different sources, including drains, handpumps and tubewells, in September last year, but all samples had failed quality tests.

Sources said the panel members along with Fazilka DC Manpreet Singh Chhatwal visited Jhangar Bhaini, Mauzam and Fazilka and Aspal drains and Ditch channel. The committee members also visited two sensitive spots near Kadar Baksh border village and Mauzam stagnation point where the waste water from different areas is dumped on nearly 2-km stretch.

Babu Ram said untreated water from sewage treatment plants gather here as the area has turned into a water terminal point. It is stated the accumulated and untreated water flowing in drains had been polluting the subsoil water resulting in spreading of diseases in border villages.

Seechewal said the sewage water of different districts and seepage drain water had also been polluting subsoil water. The committee will discuss the issue with senior officials of all stakeholders on Tuesday. The officials have been summoned to audit environmental hazardous practice of discharging untreated municipal waste into the drains.