E-Paper
PPCB mulls biological treatment to check water contamination in Fazilka
BATHINDA Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has decided to introduce in-situ bioremediation (biological treatment to clean up hazardous compounds) to check groundwater
BATHINDA Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has decided to introduce in-situ bioremediation (biological treatment to clean up hazardous compounds) to check groundwater contamination in Fazilka. Two such projects in Kapurthala and Patiala are nearing completion.
PPCB member secretary Krunesh Garg said on Thursday that a field study conducted in Fazilka by a high-level team led by board chairperson SS Marwaha found that urban local bodies have failed to make any headway in containing discharge of untreated sewage into drains.
He said the level of total dissolved solids (TDS) in various villages around Fazilka district headquarters was about 3,000 mg/litre, attributing high levels to untreated sewage being flushed into the drains. As per the World Health Organisation, TDS value above 1,200 mg/litre is unacceptable.
Garg said samples from various places in Fazilka were collected yesterday for further analysis.
“In-situ bioremediation projects at Bhulana drain in Kapurthala and Bhadson drain in Patiala are expected to be operational by June 30. The same concept of bioremediation where naturally-occurring or deliberately-introduced microorganisms are used to consume and break down environmental pollutants will be used to improve the water quality situation in Fazilka. But work on bioremediation will be possible only after the monsoon season when drains are not swollen,” said the official.
Both projects are being set up under the guidance of PPCB.
Vikram Ahuja, a farm rights activist from Fazilka, had filed a petition in the NGT in July last year, stating that untreated sewage of 21 municipalities of Punjab’s Malwa belt was contaminating groundwater. The NGT had directed the urban local bodies (ULBs) to start bioremediation till sewage treatment plants are not constructed.
Ahuja said 18 ULBs of the five Malwa districts of Fazilka, Ferozepur, Muktsar, Moga and Faridkot were directed by the green panel to adopt bioremediation of sewage by March 31 this year but there has been no progress. PPCB officials said the ULBs in Malwa have a deadline to commission STPs by March 31, 2021, or face fine. They said coronavirus outbreak led to delay in implementing bioremediation projects in the affected parts of south Malwa districts.
“PPCB is concerned about various issues related to effluent and deteriorating groundwater quality in the region. Our team of experts is exploring options to make drain water fit for irrigation,” said Garg.
