Jaipur: Public health and engineering department minister Kanhaiya Lal Choudhary Wednesday said that all possible measures are being taken to prevent the inflow of chemically contaminated water from Punjab into Rajasthan’s rivers and canals.He was replying to the questions raised by Suratgarh MLA , Dungar Ram Gedar, who said that wastewater from 57 sewage treatment plants (STPs) located in the catchment area of the Sutlej River is being treated, while construction of 10 new STPs is also underway.He informed the House that real-time monitoring of water quality is conducted at the Rajasthan-Punjab border through the Indira Gandhi Feeder and Bikaner Canal. “Reports are generated every hour and displayed at the Hanumangarh office of the water resources department and the Rajasthan Pollution Control Board. The results confirm that the water supplied for drinking purposes meets prescribed standards,” he said.In a written reply to the original question, the minister acknowledged that industrial effluents from factories in Jalandhar flow into the Sutlej River, which then reaches Rajasthan via the Harike Barrage. The Rajasthan govt has repeatedly urged Punjab to ensure that only treated water is discharged into the river system to prevent contamination of the Indira Gandhi canal project.He said the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has directed the Punjab Pollution Control Board to identify major sources of pollution and take steps to mitigate them. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has also formed a monitoring committee, whose recommendations include establishing and operating adequate Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs), Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs), and STPs in Punjab. The NGT has instructed the Punjab chief secretary to prepare an action plan based on the committee’s recommendations and personally review progress on a monthly basis.
