Chandigarh, January 14:
Water Quality Testing and Monitoring of ground water sources of Punjab has revealed that some areas of Malwa belt are affected with Uranium and Fluoride whereas Majha Belt has some villages affected with Arsenic. As on date, 815 habitations are affected with Arsenic, 319 habitations are affected with Fluoride and 252 habitations are affected with Uranium. In a bid to provide potable water supply to such quality affected villages of the state, Punjab Water Supply and Sanitation Department has prioritized shifting such villages from ground water supply to surface water supply by taking water from Irrigation Canals. State of Punjab has undertaken 11 canal-based water supply projects in six districts i.e. Moga, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur, Patiala and Fathegarh Sahib. Out of these, the project of Moga district would be commissioned this month and the remaining 9 projects will be executed by December 2022. One of the projects shall be completed by March, 2022. On completion, these projects would provide potable water supply to approx. 1200 villages in Moga, Patiala, Fatehgarh Sahib, Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur districts. Department is also providing alternative solutions in terms of Community Treatment Plants/R.O. Plants, to provide immediate solution.
While giving this information Punjab Water Supply and Sanitation Minister Ms. Razia Sultana said that the Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh led Punjab Government is not leaving any stone unturned to provide potable water facility in rural areas of the state. Water Treatment Plants is being set up in those villages where water quality has been affected. The 11 canal-based water supply projects would be set up at a cost of Rs.1249 crore in Moga, Patiala, Fatehgarh Sahib, Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur districts. On completion, these projects would benefit over 3 (three) lakh households of 1205 villages.
The canal-based water supply project in Moga district was commenced in February 2017, said the Minister, adding that it will be completed at a cost of Rs.230crore by this month. On completion, the project would provide potable water supply to 67000 households of 85 villages of Baghapurana and Nihal Singh Wala blocks in the Moga district.
Similarly, 3 projects, worth of Rs. 376 crore,were started in July 2020 to provide clean water supply to 84000 households of 408 villages in Patiala and Fatehgarh Sahib districts. These projects would be completed by December 2022. Three Water Treatment Plants are also being set up at village Mandoli (39 MLD), Pabra (18 MLD) and Nanowal (12 MLD), Ms. Razia Sultana added.
She said that 4 projects were being executed at a cost of Rs.390crore in Amritsar district and the work on the projects is likely to be completed by December 2022. On completion, these projects would benefit 98033 households of 269 villages. Water Treatment Plants would be set up at Chawinda Kalan (21.2 MLD), Kandowali (36.3 MLD, Sagna (10.4 MLD) and GosalAfgana (11.5 MLD).
The Minister informed that the ongoing Rs.130 crore worthproject was started in December 2020 in Tarn Taran district. It would provide clean water supply to 35200 households of 99 villages. It will be completed by December 2022. Under this project a water treatment plant (28.8 MLD) would also set up at the Bhuchar Kalan village of the district.
Similarly, 2 ongoing projects at a cost of Rs.123crore in Gurdaspur district would benefit 25069 households of 142 villages. These projects will be completed by next year. Two water treatment plants are also being set up in Parowal (9 MLD) and Kunjar (14 MLD) villages. All the projects will be maintained by the concerned contractors/companies for next 10 years, the Minister said.
