Water unsafe, Ludhiana village banks on sole handpump

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 3

Residents of Rampur village under Dakha constituency, where the byelections are to be held on October 21, are dependent on just one “sarkari nalka” (government handpump), both for drinking and washing purposes. This small village is part of Kul Gehna village panchayat and located near Sutlej which is being polluted by Buddha Nullah.

As the upper groundwater level was contaminated by the highly polluted Buddha Nullah, the government had installed two handpumps at different locations in the village 10 years ago. One of the ‘nalka’ hasn’t been in use for five or six years as its water is contaminated. The functional handpump, which lifts water from a depth of 250 ft, is in the village gurdwara where people can be seen standing in queues to fetch water every day. Handpumps in villagers’ houses are not in use as these began spewing contaminated water long ago.

Already troubled by the drug menace, several villages of Bet area (near Sutlej) in Dakha constituency have been facing a harrowing time due to contamination.

Villagers say several hepatitis and cancer cases have been reported. Government handpumps have been installed in nearby villages, including Talwandi Nau Abad, Kotli and Kul Gehna.

Panchayat member Satpal Singh said, “Nearly 250 villagers of Rampur are dependent on only one handpump. Even the streets here haven’t been constructed. There is no drainage system. The Buddha Nullah has polluted the groundwater of many villages.”

Jaspal Singh of Rampur village said, “The Sutlej bank is at a walking distance from our village. At a distance of nearly 1 km from our village, highly polluted Buddha Nullah meets and pollutes Sutlej. The black-coloured water in the river flows along Rampur village. We want the government to ensure safe water supply.”

“The situation is almost similar in Kotli where only one handpump is available for 15-20 houses. Sometimes, this sarkari handpump also draws contaminated water. Both Kotli and Rampur are parts of the Kul Gehna panchayat,” said Tarsem Singh, a panchayat member of Kul Gehna.

Two government handpumps were installed in Talwandi Nau Abad of Bet area in Dakha constituency reportedly seven years ago. “Ludhiana pollutes Buddha Nullah which further pollutes the upper groundwater in several villages. We don’t use private handpumps at our houses as these spew contaminated water. The direct water supply is available in our village, but this too is not satisfactory sometimes,” said Mahal Singh of Talwandi Nau Abad.

Residents of other villages where water is supplied through pipes also complained about contaminated supply. Bhupinderpal Singh Chawla, sarpanch of Walipur Kalan village, said, “The water is supplied through pipes in our village, but it is contaminated.”

Residents say they expect the future MLA to ensure potable water supply in affected villages and take up the issue of polluted Buddha Nullah in the Assembly.