Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday ordered testing and monitoring of canal-based drinking water supply in the southern parts of the State to prevent the spread of contamination triggered by the spill of molasses into the Beas river.
The Chief Minister issued directions to the Punjab Pollution Control Board and other departments concerned to undertake detailed testing of the water supplied to towns and villages in southern Punjab.
He has asked the departments to constitute special teams for water quality testing and to take necessary steps to prevent drinking water contamination, said an official spokesperson.
Death of fish
Meanwhile, Punjab Environment Minister O.P. Soni said the situation in the Beas was being monitored after molasses spillover from a sugar mill located in Kiri Afghana near Beas town had caused the death of a large number of fish.
“Officials of the Punjab Pollution Control Board and Irrigation Department, besides the Deputy Commissioner, are all continuously reviewing the situation and all canals will get fresh water up to the tail in the next 24 hours. Apart from this, people have been requested not to use water from these canals for drinking purposes,” said Mr. Soni.
Mr. Soni added that to deal with the situation arising due to molasses spillover, around 2,000 cusecs of water from the Ranjit Sagar Dam has already been infused into the river Beas.
Environment safety
Accusing the previous Akali Dal-BJP government of not being serious towards environment safety, Mr. Soni said: “Environmental issues were never take up seriously by the previous government, that is why there is no check on mills and factories which spill chemicals and other hazardous residues into canals and streams.”
Mr. Soni said that whoever was responsible for the Beas incident would not be spared at any cost.
“The Chaddha Sugar Mill, involved in the incident, has already been sealed and the security deposit of ₹25 lakh has also been confiscated. Instructions have been issued to officials of the Environment Department and the PPCB to take strict action against those industries which are contaminating rivers and streams,” he added.
A large number of dead fish were found floating in the Beas a few days ago after molasses from the sugar factory leaked into the river.
(With PTI inputs)
