300-yr-old Kangra water source declared non-potable

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, February 16

A nearly 300-year-old natural drinking water source situated in the heart of Palampur town in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district has been declared non-potable after its samples were found “highly contaminated” during chemical examination.

The testing at the source, called ‘Dohroo Ki Babli’, was done after pungent smell was reported in water by the residents, around 1,000 of whom were dependant on it for drinking and other needs. The Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Department has put up a signboard mentioning “unfit for consumption” next to the tank, besides warning people through other platforms. Officials said a barbed fencing was to be put up around the tank soon.

Sewage mixing likely

• Water samples found ‘highly contaminated’ during chemical examination
• IPH Dept officials fear sewage seepage into the water source from septic tanks of houses

Harkishan Singh Goel (90) of Aima village said the source withstood the worst of summers and even the 1905 Kangra earthquake that had claimed more than 20,000 lives. “Before 1960, it was the sole water source for Palampur town and the residents would earnestly maintain it. The neglect started as the population rose and houses were built near the source,” he said.

Pankaj Beas, Assistant Engineer of the Irrigation and Public Health Department, said though the exact cause of the contamination was yet to be ascertained, sewage from the septic tanks of dozens of houses built near the source may have been mixing with water. An official, however, said no case of gastroenteritis had been reported.

Palampur MLA and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Ashish Butail said efforts would be made to protect the centuries old water source. He also said the area would be connected with a French Government-assisted sewerage supply scheme that was already under proposal for territories under the Palampur Municipal Council.