The Kala Sanghian drain is proving “cancerous” for scores of villages located along its banks. The situation has turned alarming in the past 10 years. A tributary of the Satluj, the drain is wreaking havoc with human lives and the livestock beside poisoning agricultural land.
Carrying toxic effluents, discharged by industrial units in the Jalandhar Industrial Area, the drain joins Chitti Bein which subsequently merges with the Satluj.
Besides the local industry, the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation has also been throwing its sewage into the drain at at five points.
The worst-affected villages are Janangir, Essewal, Muridwal, Rupewali, Sidhpur, Badshapur and Sunarh Kalan. Diseases such as cancer, jaundice, hepatitis and renal failure have become common in these villages.
Say villagers: “The industrialists are making huge profits at the cost of our lives and livelihood.” A survey conducted by St Avtar Singh Memorial College, Seechewal, reveals that 64 villagers have lost their lives due to cancer in the past 10 years and scores are suffering from skin diseases.
In Jahangir 11 village have died of cancer, Essewal eight, Muridwal six, Rupewali five village and Sidhpur three.
Jasbir Singh, a resident of Jahanjir village, who lost his brother and father to cancer in the past three years, is now struggling to save his wife Satpal Kaur from the jaws of the disease.
“I’m suffering from a skin disease. I fear for my children’s health. This is all due to the toxic drain water,” laments Malkiat Singh of Essewal village.
“As there is no supply of potable water to the village, we are forced to consume polluted water drawn from hand pumps,” he adds.
“The lifespan of milch cattle has also been affected with cancer afflicting the livestock too,” claims Lal Singh of Rupewali village.
Noted environmentalist Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal, member of the Punjab Pollution Control Board, has launched a “Save Environment” movement and blocked the Kala Sanghia drain a couple of times. Now the pollution board has set up a camp office at the banks of the drain. But with local industrialists refusing to cooperate with the authorities to tackle the menace, the issue remains far from resolved.
Carrying toxic effluents, discharged by industrial units in the Jalandhar Industrial Area, the drain joins Chitti Bein which subsequently merges with the Satluj. Besides the local industry, the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation has also been throwing its sewage into the drain at at five points.
The worst-affected villages are Janangir, Essewal, Muridwal, Rupewali, Sidhpur, Badshapur and Sunarh Kalan. Diseases such as cancer, jaundice, hepatitis and renal failure have become common in these villages.
Say villagers: “The industrialists are making huge profits at the cost of our lives and livelihood.” A survey conducted by St Avtar Singh Memorial College, Seechewal, reveals that 64 villagers have lost their lives due to cancer in the past 10 years and scores are suffering from skin diseases.
In Jahangir 11 village have died of cancer, Essewal eight, Muridwal six, Rupewali five village and Sidhpur three.
Jasbir Singh, a resident of Jahanjir village, who lost his brother and father to cancer in the past three years, is now struggling to save his wife Satpal Kaur from the jaws of the disease.
“I’m suffering from a skin disease. I fear for my children’s health. This is all due to the toxic drain water,” laments Malkiat Singh of Essewal village.
“As there is no supply of potable water to the village, we are forced to consume polluted water drawn from hand pumps,” he adds.
“The lifespan of milch cattle has also been affected with cancer afflicting the livestock too,” claims Lal Singh of Rupewali village.
Noted environmentalist Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal, member of the Punjab Pollution Control Board, has launched a “Save Environment” movement and blocked the Kala Sanghia drain a couple of times. Now the pollution board has set up a camp office at the banks of the drain. But with local industrialists refusing to cooperate with the authorities to tackle the menace, the issue remains far from resolved.
i need the samples dran from drain and sir seechwal i need your supervision regarding this problem. thanks...!
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