Punjab State Human Rights Commission seeks PPCB’s report on high chromium levels near Jalandhar’s Kala Sanghian drain

Punjab State Human Rights Commission has sought a report from Punjab Pollution Control Board over reports of high presence of chromium in areas situated in the periphery of Kala Sanghian drain in Jalandhar

Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) has sought a report from Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) over reports of high presence of chromium in areas situated in the periphery of Kala Sanghian drain in Jalandhar.

PSHRC member Justice Nirmaljit Kaur has called for a report from chief environmental engineer, PPCB, Jalandhar on or before the next date of hearing July 28. (Representational Photo (Getty Images/iStockphoto) )

Taking suo-moto cognisance of a recent water and soil study conducted by a research group of Dr BR Ambedkar Institute of Technology (NIT), Jalandhar, the Commission comprising chairperson justice Sant Parkash and PSHRC member justice Nirmaljit Kaur has called for a report from chief environmental engineer, PPCB, Jalandhar on or before the next date of hearing July 28.

A team of NIT’s assessment laboratory headed by Dr Rohit Mehra, associate professor of physics took soil and water samples from around the drain and tested it for contamination of heavy metals, including chromium, copper, lead and mercury.

The research team found that some of the samples carried a high level of chromium presence with the highest value of around 690 mg/kg, which is as high as 6.9 times the World Health Organisation standards, which is 100 mg/kg.

With Jalandhar being the industrial town, Kala Sanghian drain, which passes through the district carries effluents and other chemicals directly disposed-off into the drain.