Panchayati Raj Dept of Fatehabad, Sirsa fined Rs 2.3 cr over Ghaggar pollution

Tribune News Service

Deepender Deswal

Hisar, October 17

Taking serious note of the polluted and untreated water being discharged in the Ghaggar river in four villages of Fatehabad and Sirsa districts, the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) has imposed environment compensation of Rs 2.30 crore on the Panchayati Raj Department of Fatehabad and Sirsa districts.

Sources said the HSPCB had taken samples of the water being discharged in the Ghaggar at around 10 points in Sirsa and Fatehabad districts recently. There were eight points in Fatehabad district and two points in Sirsa district.

The HSPCB officials informed that there were violations in the Amritsar Kalan drain in Sirsa district, besides three points in Fatehabad district — Talwari drain in Talwari village, Sidhani drain in Sidhani village and Sidhanwas drain in Sidhanwas village.

The sarpanch of Amritsar Kalan village, Amolak Singh, said the sewage of the village was being discharged in the Ghaggar river. He said while the sewage was being used in the fields for nearly eight months, the same was discharged in Ghaggar for the remaining time in a year.

He maintained that discharge of sewage water of Ellenabad town was a major contributor to the pollution in Ghaggar, which has blackish water now. “We have also drawn the issue to the knowledge of the authorities concerned,” he said.

However, Gaurav Bhardwaj, executive engineer of the Panchayati Raj, informed that they had responded to the HSPCB stating that they had submitted a proposal of Rs 2.18 crore for setting up a treatment plant to the Chief Engineer in January this year. The department added that they would complete the work within three months of getting the sanction.

In Fatehabad district, Talwari village, Sidhani village and Sidhanwas village in Fatehabad district, the Panchayati Raj Department had replied that the funds had been approved and the work would be completed by December 31 this year in Talwari village. While in Sidhani and Sadhanwas villages, the work for the construction of wetland is in progress and will be completed by September 2023 and January 2023, respectively.

Six other sources contributing to pollution of the Ghaggar river were closed by adopting the Seechewal model, five pond system and the construction of a wetland. These points include Jakhal, Talwara, Talwari Dhani Kanwalgarh and Kherpur villages in Fatehabad district and Mallewala domestic effluent point in Sirsa district.

Sunil Sangwan, a senior official of the HSPCB, confirmed the imposition of Rs 2.30 crore as environment compensation on the Panchayati Raj Department in Fatehabad and Sirsa district. He said the compensation amount had been assessed as Rs 5 lakh per point for a specific period.

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