By TNL Bureau
Amritsar, April 29, 2018: The National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) has expressed its helplessness in cleaning the polluted water of Amritsar after seeing the level to which the water of the city stands polluted.
Disclosing this here today, the Local Government Minister, Punjab, Navjot Singh Sidhu revealed that an organisation of IIT Delhi, NEERI had decided to clean the water of the city after viewing the facts regarding water pollution level presented by the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB). But when NEERI itself carried out a check of the water then it expressed its helplessness in cleaning the water keeping in view the higher level pollution.
Quoting a letter received from NEERI, Sidhu said that as per the NEERI organisation they can clean the water of any city up to 60 to 70 percent through organic means by planting saplings in the water. But after looking at the figures with regard to the polluted water of Amritsar city it came to the conclusion that the water of Amritsar cannot be cleaned with this technique because even if it is cleaned up to the extent of 70 percent even then the toxic content would be unbearable for the human beings.
Sidhu further said that the level of C.O.D. (Chemical Oxygen Demand ) up to 250 is normal but in the water of Amritsar city it is more than 1346. Similarly, T.S.S. (Total Suspended Solid) content should be less than 100 but in city’s water, it’s 1455. Also, the B.O.D. (Biochemical Oxygen Demand ) must be less than 30 whereas in Amritsar city water this is more than 180. The minister further said that the NEERI is unable to clean such a vast amount of polluted content with its technique. He also divulged that after agreement with NEERI the issue was ready to be put up for approval of the cabinet but with NEERI expressing its helplessness the issue has again come to a square one position. He also said that now he would again take up the issue with the Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and demand cleaning of the polluted water with some new technique besides demanding action against the industrial concerns who pollute stormy drains with their toxic and polluted water. He said that nobody would be allowed to play with the health of the people and those guilty of this would be punished.