Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khatter had a review meeting with Haryana state government officers expressing worry over fast increasing pollution in state’s prominent Yamuna and Ghaggar rivers flowing across the state causing severe harm to the health of residents in the state. In review meeting in which all senior concerned officers were present stating that rivers are the important assets to the state Chief Minister directed the officers to make plans in order to make Yamuna and Ghaggar rivers water pollution free and take stern action against those throwing garbage, sewerage water and industrial wastes in it at places where it passes.
On the basis of ground water quality report by National Green Tribunal (NGT) to Haryana State Pollution Control Board the water samples were collected at as many as 141places at various catchment areas in Yamuna canal at Yamunanagar and Ghagger canal at Panchkula and it was worrying for state government to find that water at most of the places was found polluted and unfit for use needing immediate measures to make water in these canals pollution free. Khattar said apart from the guidelines issued by the Central Government we must work tirelessly to create new policies so that the surrounding states also adopt similar policies and apart from this, there is need towards re-using treated water with the installation of treatment plants. Khatter said, water conservation is necessary for the future generation, although Haryana has taken many important steps in this direction.
The Chief Minister gave directions to the officers during the review meeting of the Yamuna Action Plan that plans should be made on a large scale so that maximum reuse of treated water can be done in sectors like irrigation, thermal power plants, industrial use and horticulture. He said, Ghaggar and Yamuna are the only two major natural rivers of Haryana and their protection is essential. He advised that for effective implementation of Yamuna Action Plan, a joint meeting should also be held with the officers of neighboring states. Khatter said, pollution whether it is water pollution or air pollution, the need of the hour is to curb their effect in order to safeguard our environment as such inter-state meetings in this regard should be organized continuously.
Information reveals that Haryana State Pollution Control Board collected 75 samples at different places from Ghaggar river and 66 samples from Yamuna river when it was detected that samples of water collected from Ghaggar river at 47 places was contaminated not matching the specifications. Similarly. Most of water samples collected from Yamuna canal too were found unfit for drinking at 16 places and decision was taken to constitute a Task Force to put display boards at 47 places to warn residents in the area not to use contaminated water but implementation of action has yet to be taken. Information reveals, according to a report 23 samples of underground water collected at Sirsa district and 17 samples collected at Fatehabad district were found contaminated and a industry collecting underground water will have to obtain permission from Central Ground Water Authority before collecting underground water.
