Civic body, administration put on notice

Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 13

The district administration (Deputy Commissioner) and the Municipal Corporation have been put on notice by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) as new submersible pumps continue to be installed in the city despite a blanket ban on drawing ground water in the city imposed by the CGWB and the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

Taking cognisance of a complaint filed by a city-based social activist, Gajjan Singh Jassal, the CGWB Regional Director (based in Chandigarh) has issued directions to the Deputy Commissioner and the MC to get the matter investigated and take action in accordance with law.

In his complaints filed with the CGWB, the NGT, Punjab Human Rights Commission, with copies to the Chief Minister and the Department of Local Government, Punjab, Jassal had alleged that at least 25 submersible pumps were being sunk in areas across the city and repeated complaints lodged with the field staff and supervisory officials of the operations and maintenance (O&M) branch of the MC had failed to move them in action.

The role of the MC officials, especially those of the field staff entrusted with the task of providing and maintaining water supply and sewerage in the city, has come under a cloud with sinking of new submersible pumps continuing with impunity all across the city and the enforcement machinery (the O&M wing of the MC) keeping its eyes closed to the development.

The complaint indicated towards a nexus of boring companies, touts and certain MC officials which was active in the city with all of them out to make a fast buck from illegal sinking of tube-wells and submersible pumps.

He had demanded that responsibility of the MC staff and their supervisory officials be fixed for allowing submersible pumps in the city and strict action, as per law, be taken against all violations in this regard.

MC officials, however, claimed that action had been initiated against several such pumps. Recently, the field staff had filled up the bores made for sinking new pumps in several areas that fall in Zone C and the field staff had been directed to take similar action in other parts of the city as well, said the officials.