NGT team visits villages hit by water pollution

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 23

Teams of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday visited several villages in the district which are affected by water pollution.

Led by NGT’s supervisory committee member Chander Babu, the team members visited the Kala Sanghian drain and the Chitti Bein. While environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal had recently raised the issue of pollution in the drain, he had also written to the NGT on the defunct sewage treatment plants across the state which were adding to untreated water and creating pollution in the state.

Chief engineer GS Majithia and senior environmental engineer Harbir Singh were also present on the occasion. Villagers living on the banks of the Kala Sanghian drain gave a long declaration to the NGT. Detailing their experiences, they said they could not go to any other village now. They complained that they were facing troubles in marrying their children as no one wanted to marry their kin in a village which was affected by diseases.

They said a large number of people in the villages were dying of cancer and hepatitis.

The teams visited Chamiara, Gazipur, Athaula, Balerkhanpur, Gurdwara Tahli Sahib, Fatehpur and Nawa Pind Khalewal villages. Residents of Nawa Pind Khalewal said there had been over 10 deaths in the village due to cancer.