Ferozepore, March 12
Tanneries, situated in and around the
border town of Kasur in Pakistan, are polluting the Sutlej, rendering it
unsuitable for irrigational and drinking purposes.
According to information,
hundreds of tanneries are located in Kasur, famous for leather and its products.
Since this town is situated in close proximity of the Indo-Pakistan border, its
effluents are discharged into the Sutlej, which enters and exits Pakistan at
several places along the border in this sector. Information reveals that the
river enters Pakistan at nine places along the border and re-enters India at 10
places in the Ferozepore-Fazilka sector.
The Sutlej, when it enters Pakistan
through the Tapu and Basti Ramlal Bop area has clean water, but when it enters
India near the Kassoke and Shameke BOP, the water looks discoloured and
contaminated due to influx of toxic discharge of the tanneries in Kasur.
A lot
of water is utilised washing leather in these tanneries, which is drained into
the Kasur drain, which ultimately merges with the Sutlej.
Moreover, Pakistani
forces have also constructed a ditch-cum-bandh along the international border in
this area, probably to suit their defence purposes.
Whether the river water is
being polluted deliberately or otherwise the harmful effects of chemicals and
toxi's being discharged into it can not be ruled out.
According to the
information, the polluted water has also affected the aquatic life of the river
as fish are dying due to chemicals in the river water in this area.
Not only
this, in villages situated close to the border, where the water is used for
irrigation and household purposes, that its hazardous effects can cause
permanent damage to the human body can not be ruled out. Though, the water
current is not strong but impurities are carried up to a large area along the
border.
In the hinterland, where wheat and rice are usually grown, the
likelihood of the produce getting contaminated is another reason to worry
about.
When contacted, the BSF authorities admitted that water was being
polluted due to discharge of the effluents from the industries in Kasur into the
Sutlej.
