Jalandhar: Pledging to make people’s woes of pollution in Kala Sanghian drain a major election agenda, Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal on Monday urged the residents of over 100 villages to come forward and join the campaign to save their lives from water pollution.

Baba Seechewal also sought action against erring officials, who failed to check toxic flow of industrial units into Kala Sanhian drain. “It has been over nine years since we have been pleading action against erring industrial units for polluting Kala Sanghian drain but to no avail. Now, we would take this issue to every house hold and ensure that it becomes a major election issue in the Assembly Election 2017”, he said.

The renowned environmentalist said that people of over 100 villages have been suffering from cancer and other deadly diseases because of water pollution in Kala Sanghian drain. These thoughts were shared by Baba Seechewal during a media tour of Kala Sanghian drain on Monday, where areas affected due to the toxic waste being flown into the drain was shown.

On the crucial issue of 50 MLD treatment plant on the Kala Sanghian drain, Baba Seechewal said that though it was constructed two years ago but it failed to yield results. “Till date, the treatment plant was stuck between the control of Jalandhar Municipal Corporation (MC) and Punjab Sewerage Board, hence putting the lives of scores of people in risk”, he said.

The Punjab Sewerage Board officials have been claiming that MC was suppose to run the 50 MLD treatment plant but they have failed in doing their duty. “MC officials were not willing to run the treatment plant, which shows the callousness of the civic body in saving the river waters of Punjab from pollution”, he maintained.

It is pertinent to mention here that the polluted and toxic water of Kala Sanghian drain merges into the Sutlej river, which further flows into the Malwa belt of Punjab and the neighbouring state of Rajasthan. “People in both these areas were directly consuming this water through the canal system”, he pointed out.

Baba Seechewal also mentioned that for the last nine years, he took up the issue of water pollution in Kala Sanghian drain before the respective Deputy Commissioners and CM Badal but to no avail. “What could be more alarming than the fact that while people were dying every day, officials were least bothered to address such a serious issue”, Baba Seechewal

mentioned.

Further Baba Seechewal also mentioned that from the local administration to the PPCB officials and chairmen and Principal Secretary of CM SK Sandhu also paid a visit to Kala Sanghian drain for immediate action. “Though strict directions were issued but no action was taken by the officials, bringing their functioning under scanner”, he added.

However, he said that now people have been asked to come forward to raise voice against pollution in Kala Sanghian drain, which was a major cause of concern to two states of Punjab and Rajasthan.

For more news updates Follow and Like us on Facebook