Amritsar, May 11
Tourists visiting Amritsar for a glimpse of the serene beauty of Harmandar Sahib, get disturbed when they see the polluted surroundings of the ancient city.
The open nullahs — the ‘Tung Dhab drain’ and the ‘city outfall drain’ — play havoc, especially during the rainy season. These drains flow into the ‘Hudiara Drain’ which ultimately crosses the international border. Even Pakistan had raised an objection at the international platform, complaining it was getting polluted water from India through the ‘Hudiara Drain’. The state Human Rights Commission had directed the state government to prepare a plan to carry out the plans to make these drains pollution-free. But the government has adopted a half-hearted approach in implementing the orders in the last three years.
The cash-strapped Municipal Corporation is unable to carry out any plan to desilt the drains. When contacted Mr Jasbir Singh Bir, who has recently taken over as Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, said he would give top priority to make the drains pollution-free. However, he said the financial crunch may come in the way of cleaning the drains.
The localities which have mushroomed alongside the city drain with the passage of time, Mr Bir said, had resulted in the city drain becoming a dumping place for the residents of such colonies. Mounds of garbage and stray cattle foraging garbage dumps in the city drain is a common sight. At many places, the garbage had completely covered the drain leaving no scope for the flow of the storm water. So much so children can be seen playing on the surface of the city drain which is completely covered with garbage.
Sources say at least Rs 2 crore is needed for desilting of the storm drain. However, more funds are required to provide potable water to the localities which had mushroomed alongside the drains. Many persons had fallen ill due to the outbreak of water-borne diseases like jaundice in these colonies in the past. Departmental sources say the total cleansing of the drain was done about a decade ago by the drainage department. On the outcry raised by the general public, the previous Badal government had chalked out an ambitious plan to cover the drain with loan from HUDCO. However, only parts of the drain could be covered. There are many missing points in the drain which have virtually become a ‘death trap’. A person recently died after falling through one of the gaps.
However, Mr Bir said he was committed to getting the drain desilted at all costs. He would also request non-government organisations to come forward to help the corporation in completing the ambitious projects so that the surroundings of this ancient city too become attractive for tourists who visit Amritsar. He said he was endeavouring to seek the help of the departments concerned so that a coordinated effort could be made to ensure cleanliness in the holy city.
Mr Prabdyal Singh Randhawa, General Secretary, Pollution Control Committee, said the state government and the Municipal Corporation had been violating the orders of the Punjab State Human Rights Commission which had directed to develop a green belt alongside the ‘Tungwali Drain’. He said in gross violation of the orders, the departments concerned had not bothered to install treatment plants though the orders were issued in September, 1999. The commission had also directed the department not to allow anybody to throw garbage or solid waste in the drain which was being defied with impunity, Mr Randhawa said.
