Solid waste enters water tanks at Joggers’ Park

Sameer Singh

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 6

Solid waste is making its way into water storage tanks (small lakes) at Joggers’ Park as iron wire mesh has not been installed there.

In the absence of mesh to filter hard waste from canal water before entering the water tanks, hard waste including garbage, tree leaves and even animal excreta has been entering the storage tanks.

With barely any check by the Municipal Corporation, residents of Balla Ram Nagar, Hazura Kapura colony and nearby areas throw garbage near the water strip (small canal) diverted from Sirhind Canal that finds its way to the water storage tanks situated at the park for a long time now.

There are four large water tanks used for storing canal water before being filtered and supplied to households in the city. Similarly, there are four different points at the Joggers Park from where canal water enters the storage tanks.

During a visit by Bathinda Tribune to Joggers’ Park, it was found that solid waste was floating on the surface of water storage tanks.

People also release leftover worship material inside the water storage tanks. Overgrown grass and bushes along and inside the water tanks also add to the prevailing unhygienic conditions. As water tanks have not been cleaned for a long time even thick layers of algae were also spotted on the surface of water.

Sources said there is absolutely no check by the authorities concerned, as a result solid waste is finding its way to the water storage tanks.

Last year, a dead animal carcass was thrown inside the water tanks that remained in the water for days before being removed by the authorities.

Even if purified by filtration process before being supplied to the city households, this water is an invitation to various diseases.

Sources added that it was high time that MC officials ensure that iron wire mesh was installed at the water storage tanks in Joggers’ Park for proper segregation of solid waste from canal water.

Moreover, the tiles installed along tracks at the park are also broken. The authorities need to repair these tiles to restore the aesthetic appeal of the park.

Mayor Balwant Rai Nath said, “I will ask the officials concerned regarding the installation of iron wire mesh at the water storage tanks in Joggers’ Park and if there the problem can be solved by doing so then we will go ahead with the plan. We will also ensure intensive vigil by appointing gaurd/staff at the park so that water tanks are not polluted.”