Arsenic has been detected in drinking water samples in Phagwara, a town of Doaba region.
The samples had been taken by doctors of Phagwara civil hospital on September 19, 2012 from Basant Nagar village and sent to State Public Health Laboratory in Chandigarh. The report confirmed the presence of arsenic in the water and declared it unfit for drinking.
After the report was released, Kapurthala deputy commissioner Alaknanda Dayal sent a proposal to the government to provide funds for constructing a new water tank in the area.
Releasing the report of Phagwara sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) to the deputy commissioner on Monday, former minister and senior Congress leader Joginder Singh Maan said it was a very serious matter. He added that he would meet the Kapurthala deputy commissioner in this regard on Wednesday and raise the issue with the government.
In the report, the SDM suspected that polluted water released from a factory might be the reason for the presence of arsenic and high quantity of fluoride in the drinking water, but said the committee had failed to ascertain the actual reason.
The SDM also stated that until the committee found a solution to the problem, the Phagwara municipal corporation should ensure that drinking water was supplied through tankers to the localities under scanner.
{{/usCountry}}The SDM also stated that until the committee found a solution to the problem, the Phagwara municipal corporation should ensure that drinking water was supplied through tankers to the localities under scanner.
{{/usCountry}}He wrote that after this, the heath department held a medical camp in the area and distributed medicines free of cost to people.
Dayal visited Basant Nagar on Tuesday and talked to the residents. After this, she held a meeting with officials of health and local bodies departments.