Jalandhar, June 5: For more than four decades, sharing of river waters of Punjab has been a political issue. With the changing times, however, pollution of river waters is gaining political currency too.
Though industries and municipal bodies have been throwing the untreated effluents in the rivers for the several years and quality of Satluj was continuously being reported to be ‘D’ or even ‘E’ class, it was after the release of molasses into Beas, leading to killing of fish in big numbers, all political parties made it an issue during the Shahkot assembly byelection.
“Though we have been raising the issue of pollution in water channels and rivers and asking the political parties to include it in their manifesto, they did not implement the agenda of cleaning the rivers of Punjab. If something was done it was more on papers and in spending money but big difference was not made in results. The fish dying in big numbers in Beas during the run up the Shahkot bypoll propelled it into a political issue,” said environmentalist Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal.
“As all parties now appear to be on the same page on the issue and opposition has already taken a stand against pollution in state rivers, now the state government can act tough against the polluting industry. Even opposition parties would not be able to take a different stand on the issue now. All parties should make their stand clear on the issue and there can be no whataboutery on his issue any more,” he said.
New MLA of Shahkot, Hardev Singh Laddi Sherowalia, on Sunday said he would be raising the issue of pollution in river water at all levels as his constituency was badly affected with stretches of highly polluted Kala Sanghia drain, Chitti Bein and Satluj. It had an adverse impact on the quality of groundwater, which people drink, taking ill, he added.
Source Tribune India
