Harike/ Chandigarh: Punjab is facing major environmental disaster as Beas river water contaminated by chemical leak from a Sugar Mill located in Gurdaspur was started flowing in canals through Harike Headworks. The Rajasthan Feeder and Sirhind Feeder canals taking water from Harike saw their water turning black, too, on Saturday. The chemical leak has killed water-life, including lakhs of fishes.
Dead fish float on the surface of the Indira Gandhi canal in Faridkot on Saturday | Photo Courtesy: The Tribune (TT)
The flow of contaminated water in canals is expected to hit supply of drinking water in Malwa region, especially in areas where ground water is not fit for drinking purpose.
In Mukatsar district the water supply authorities have closed the water inlets of reservoirs so that the already stored water is not contaminted. The underground water in most parts of the district has been declared unfit. Therefore, the potable water scarcity is set to hit this area.
All canals will get fresh water up to tails in next 24 hours: O P Soni
The Environment Minister, Punjab, OP Soni has said that the situation in the river Beas due to the Molasses spillover from the Sugar Mill of kirri Afghana, is being constantly monitored by the Punjab Government.
In a statement issued today he claimed that the Punjab Pollution Control Board and senior officials of Irrigation department and Deputy Commissioner are continuously reviewing the situation at the grassroots level and all canals will get fresh water up to the tails in the next 24 hours. Apart from this, people have been requested not to use water from these canals for drinking purposes.
Instead of making it clear that how exactly the government would ensure supply of fresh water in canals in next 24 hours, Punjab Environment Minister’s statement levelled accusations against “previous government” for not taking the environment issues seriously.