FICO flags issue of water scarcity

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, September 23

The Federation of Industrial and Commercial Organisation (FICO) organised an interactive online session with the Punjab Water Regulation and Development Authority where Karan Avtar Singh (IAS), Chairman, Punjab Water Regulation & Development Authority, along with Dr Sushil Kumar Gupta, member, and Surinder Singh Kukal, member of Punjab Water Regulation and Development Authority, interacted with stakeholders of the FICO regarding issues related to the groundwater level in the state.

The FICO said the Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana, was unable to provide enough water to the industry to cater the needs of the industry. Also, the issue of poor coordination between government departments, especially Punjab Pollution Control Board and Municipal Corporations, was highlighted, which leads to delay in getting permission to harvest the rainwater on their premises.

Karan Avtar Singh asked the departments concerned to work on feasible solutions as the National Green Tribunal was strict regarding the dipping groundwater levels in Punjab.

He said they are working on a model for using stock water as well as the groundwater, he said. The draft will be finalised by October 15 and same shall be implemented within a month.

KK Seth, chairman, FICO said the process to obtain the NOC is cumbersome. He said there are many units in the MSME sector which use the water for domestic purpose only. So, Punjab Water Regulation & Development Authority should consider keeping such units in green category with minimum documentation required.

Gurmeet Singh Kular, president, FICO, said the rainwater harvesting channels along the highway crossing Ludhiana are stuck up and non-operational, we need to clear them first and make them functional.

Vipan Mittal, vice chairman, FICO, said we are planning for common effluent treatment centre for the dying unit waste water, which will be treated as drinkable. So, he advised that the same water can be used for agriculture purpose, which will restrict the ground water drawing to some extent at the farms.

RK Gupta, ex-chief environmental engineer, PPCB and executive member, FICO, said industry only uses a margin of groundwater when compared to the amount of water used in agriculture, so only industries should not be held responsible for all this act of indiscriminate drawing of groundwater.