Channels shut for cleaning, residents face water shortage
Strap: Say underground supply unfit for use, RO plants non-functional
Archit Watts
Tribune News Service
Muktsar, April 19
The Sirhind feeder canal is carrying “black” polluted water of the Buddha Nullah, due to which many water channels are closed for cleaning. This has lead to acute shortage of potable water in Muktsar and some neighbouring districts. The Sirhind feeder canal supplies water to a number of minors.
Presently, a number of waterworks in the district are shut or operating after using underground water, which is unfit for consumption in most parts of the district.The reverse osmosis (RO) water treatment plants, too, in many villages are non-functional from the past few years.
Davinder Singh, a resident of Haraj village here, said, “The Sirhind feeder is carrying black water and the waterworks in our village are not operating. We have no option, but to use underground water, which is saline.”
Similarly, Baljit Singh, a resident of Gurusar village here, said, “We are forced to use dirty water from the Sirhind feeder canal to irrigate our fields. The authorities concerned should be taken to task for supplying polluted water.”
Some residents of Muktsar town said they were not getting potable water supply through the waterworks from the past few days.
Amritdeep Singh, Executive Engineer, Water Supply and Sanitation Department, Muktsar, said, “There has been canal closure for almost a week from April 14, so we are unable to supply potable water. We have taken some samples of water being supplied from the canal.”
Jasjit Singh Gill, Superintending Engineer, Water Supply and Sanitation Department, Muktsar, said, “The waterworks in villages are run by the village-level committees, so I don’t get the direct reports. However, I will immediately get the reports from the executive engineers.”
About the “black” water flowing in Sirhind feeder canal, Rajiv Goyal, Superintending Engineer (Canals), Ferozepur, said, “Many minors are closed for regular cleaning. The relining work of the Rajasthan feeder canal is under way. Earlier, 12,000 cusecs of water flowed in the Rajasthan and the Sirhind feeder canals. As the Rajasthan feeder is closed and about 2,000 cusecs of water is flowing through the Sirhind feeder, polluted water of Buddha Nullah is visible.”
Farmers said polluted water, carrying industrial waste would damage the fertility of land. “The cotton sowing season is about to begin and we have to irrigate the fields. However, the black water may dent the yield,” they claimed.
