Leader of opposition Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Wednesday claimed that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken cognisance of the complaint filed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) delegation into the damage caused by leakage of molasses into the Beas by a sugar mill.
Khaira, who led the delegation of three AAP MLAs to lodge a complaint, said NGT chairperson Justice Jawad Rahim has issued a notice of motion to the Union water resource ministry, the governments of Punjab and Rajasthan besides the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) for Thursday.
The AAP delegation in their complaint said the molasses illegally released by the sugar mill resulted in the death of thousands of fish and hit other aquatic animals besides endangering human lives.
The delegation requested to issue directions to the Punjab government to make up for the damage and prevent extinction of water species and spread of cancer, hepatitis etc in the state.
“Dangerous levels of pollution in the rivers, canals and drains have rocked the state. It all began from discharge of poisonous molasses into the Beas by the Chadha sugar mill at Kiri Afgana in Gurdaspur district,” they said in the complaint.
They also flagged the issue of blatant discharge of industrial waste, medical waste, untreated sewage from villages and cities into rivers, canals, rivulets and drains.
{{/usCountry}}They also flagged the issue of blatant discharge of industrial waste, medical waste, untreated sewage from villages and cities into rivers, canals, rivulets and drains.
{{/usCountry}}These pollutants have resulted in terminal diseases like cancer, hepatitis, renal failure, liver damage and heart ailments among people, they said.