Representatives of social bodies organise protest meeting over polluted Beas water reaching households in Faridkot
Social organizations hold meeting at Faridkot to press government for early solution
Polluted Beas water causes scarcity of drinking water, people cry for early solution
By Devanand Sharma
Faridkot, May 21, 2018: The local residents are facing drinking water scarcity after authorities stopped supply from water works in the wake of contamination of the Beas river water.
The contamination caused by leakage of Molasses from sugar factory/distillery at Kirri Afgana, Gurdaspur into Beas river has affected the southern district of Punjab including Faridkot, Fazilka, Muktsar Sahib and Ferozepur.
The local authorities have stopped supply from the water works after receiving reports of polluted water reaching houses.
Both canals are the main source of drinking water supply in the affected areas.
The authorities have advised people not to use canal water for drinking purpose till reports of samples collected by Public Health and Water Supply departments are received.
According to local residents, the dead fish have been seen floating for past two days in the water of Sirhind Feeder canal passing by the Faridkot city.
Taking a serious note of the situation, all the social organizations organized a large gathering on the bank of Rajasthan Feeder canal. Faridkot MP Prof Sadhu Singh addressed the gathering. He accused the state government of failing to rein in self-centred industrial units in the state.
Former Chief Medical Officer Dr Amar Singh Azad expressed grave concern over prevailing pollution of the river waters despite setting up of parliamentary panel for the purpose.
The representatives of these organizations resolved to mount pressure on the state government for finding an early solution to the grave problem which has jeopardized the live of people.
Punjab’s Malwa region has started experiencing scarcity of drinking water due to polluted canal waters. Engineer, Water Supply Department Chander Kumar said that any decision on use of canals’ water for drinking purpose would be taken only after receiving the reports of the water samples.