Ludhiana in troubled waters

Over the years,the residents have been drinking water which is of potentially dangerous quality as it is extracted by over a 500-odd tubewells day in and day out from inside the soil that,as studies have proved,contains highly toxic substances.

While recent outbursts of residents over incidents of water contamination have raised the issue which has already assumed dangerous proportions,the health experts are worried about the short-term and long-term repercussions of the consumption of poor quality of water.

The June 11 incident where the residents of Madhopuri alleged supply of contaminated water due to seepage may have been seen in isolation but residents from across the city complain of similar problems every now and then.

“Just a few days ago,we were receiving sand particles in the water supply. This did not only infuriate us but made us sit back and do some thinking how to save ourselves. Besides,the MC has not been taking the chlorination of tubewell water seriously,” said Arvind Sharma,one of the three persons of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar who took up the matter of chlorination with the Punjab State Human Rights Commission which has now intervened in the matter.

“The ground water is just not safe in the city. That is why hordes of people suffer from diseases like gastroenteritis,typhoid,Hepatitis A and E quite frequently. We have found that there is a high presence of bacteria called Helicobacter pylori which causes increased acidity among the population here,” said Dr HS Bindra,senior consultant gastroenterologist and head of the department at MD Oswal Cancer Hospital.

“Furthermore,the toxicity in water and food items washed with such water is high and can also lead to cancer besides DNA mutations,” he said,hinting at the high levels of heavy metals – lead,chromium,nickel and cadmium – in the groundwater sent into the soil through solid waste,sewerage water and industrial waste which are all discharged through open sewer drains.

Besides,the name of Buddha Nallah is sufficient to evoke an eerie feeling which one feels when around this highly toxic and polluted water body of the city. The drain does not only exhale unbearable stench all the time but its water,which was once home to a numerous species of fish,contains quantities of lead,chromium cadmium and nickel and as per a study by a PAU soil chemist,their quantities are 21,133,280,300 times higher than permissible limits.

Health experts also warn of lead poisoning due to industry pollution as some cases of the same have come to light in the city in which high lead quantity has been found in patients’ blood. This affects nervous system and causes mental retardation,experts say.

Along the GT road,large amount of effluent from electroplating units seeping into ground water is a major problem while industrial waste discharge into Buddha Nallah is a big hurdle for the authorities.

Of 490 tubewells in the city,as many as 100 are shallow tubewells at a depth of 180 feet or above and the rest are 400 feet or above and it has been found that the water which is 100-feet deep and in an area of 1000 metre on both sides of the nallah is not fit fir drinking at all. Nearly 40 villages along the Buddha Nullah are prone to water-borne diseases.

“Population density in the city is very high which puts pressure on the public authorities. The age-old sewerage system is the cause of the ground water pollution as contamination occurs because the sewerage and water pipes are very old which allow seepage to take place. Besides,some tubewells are functioning at shallow depth,” said Dr SP Sharma,civil surgeon.