Polluted Sutlej poses health risk to villagers in Ferozepur, Fazilka

Ruchika M Khanna

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Chandigarh, May 29

The pollution in the Sutlej by hundreds of leather tanneries in Pakistan’s Kasur, before the meandering river re-enters India at Dona Telu Malwala and then again at Gazniwala village is playing havoc with the health and livelihood of residents in and around Ferozepur and Fazilka.

Governor took up matter with govt

Governor Banwarilal Purohit was apprised of the health problems faced by the residents and the adverse effects on their citrous orchards during his previous visit to border districts of the state. He had taken up the matter with the state government through the Chief Secretary.

The Punjab Government will take up the issue at the international level with Pakistan. Water samples, collected from the points the river enters India from Kasur, have proved that the pollution level on all parameters was high, making the quality of water turning from “B” to “C” (the least grade for water resource).

The reports of high toxicity in the river are being sent to the Chairman of the Central Pollution Control Board, asking him to take up the matter with Pakistan through the Ministry of External Affairs. The neighbouring country will be asked to treat the water from tanneries before it is released into the river.

Higher pH level

Water categorised as C has higher pH level, lower dissolved oxygen, higher count of coliform bacteria, biochemical oxygen demand and total dissolved solids. This is what the samples collected at two points reveal

Though residents of villages in Ferozepur and Fazilka have been crying hoarse about the highly polluted water entering the country since long, it is only now that the government has decided to take up the issue at an international level, thanks to the intervention of Governor Banwarilal Purohit.

During his previous visit to border districts of the state (he is again visiting the border areas on June 7-8), Governor Banwarilal Purohit was apprised of the health problems faced by the residents and the adverse effects on their citrous orchards. He had then taken up the matter with the state government through Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Janjua.

Following this, the state pollution control board was asked to check the pollution level in the river at all points where the river re-enters India after meandering into Pakistan. This report also found that the quality of water remained “C” (which is poor) at Walle Shah Hithar village in Fazilka.

Harish Nadha, a local farm union leader in Fazilka, who has been fighting against the issue of toxins being discharged into the river by tanneries in Kasur, said residents of around 150 villages were adversely hit because of this pollution.

“There is a rise in cases of cancer, hepatitis C and skin ailments among residents because of highly polluted and untreated water from tanneries being released into the Kasur nullah, before it finally enters the river. Our orchards have got destroyed as the toxins have seeped into ground as blackish red water remains stagnant in the Ganda Singh pond here,” he rued.