Transcription
And our White River, and in the White River, the Black Drain, this is a main pollutant. Because the most pollution in Jalandhar is being caused in the Black Drain. It has become a poisonous, cancerous river. Affecting 20-230 villages, it falls into the Sutlej River near Dhakka Basti village. In Jalandhar, the electroplating and other industries, there is no means to treat the wastewater that comes out. That water is mixed with sewage water and put into treatment plants. If officers are strict, these people, it has been seen in many places, the industry has started putting the water into the ground by drilling boreholes underground.
What is the state of Jalandhar's leather industry? How have pipes been laid? How is black water falling into the Black Drain? And the Black Drain, passing through villages, falls into the White River. The White River turns black, deeply black, just as you have seen how people are getting sick. The black water that they removed from there, where is that black water going now? It has evaporated.
The black river had become white, but the white river had become black. There has been so much pollution in it, and all our neighboring villages have become hell, whereas they were once like heaven. We used to use water from there, we didn't need tube wells so much. Our village is on the river. The stench that comes in the morning, we have to bear it. Cancer and other diseases, we have had to bear them. And why shouldn't we ask the question that with so much power you have, in this term of four-five years that has passed, there has only been a breach of promise, not even a zero set has been achieved.
Our elders say that this White River, which has now become a dirty stream of acidic water, used to have a Vaisakhi fair here. This water was also used for drinking. This water was used for agriculture. This water was so clean. If you go back, on the Nakodar-Jalandhar road, on the highway, there is a village called Mudda Wala Pul, near Mudda village and Kang Sabu, the Mudda village bridge comes. When buses etc. used to pass over it.
And when those buses etc. used to pass, if any passenger threw a coin or money from it, then the children of the village used to sit there, they used to see it so clearly, they used to pick it up and bring it. So the Vaisakhi festival used to be held jointly by both villages on this bridge. I am 55 years old. I also saw the white water in my childhood. We used to graze cattle here. While grazing cattle, this water was used for drinking. In those days, it had reduced. But the water for irrigation and for the cattle to drink was safe. But slowly, this connection was made with the dirty water of tanneries, the acidic water of leather dyeing factories. The sewage of Jalandhar city was connected to it, due to which calling this water "water" today would be an exaggeration, because it is acid. You will say it looks like water, how is it acid? You are feeling it here now, the smell coming from this water.
When you wake up in the morning, the village of Mudda is one kilometer from here. When you wake up in the morning, its dirty smell reaches there. Such is the smell of this water, that it is not even fit for irrigation, if it is used for irrigation anywhere, it destroys the crop of that field. The neighboring villages, Prabhjit ji. Tell us your name. Like Kang Sabu village, Sehm, our village, on the other side is Awana, further is Talwandi Bhairo, Mudda, Saidpur, Heran. On this side, Chakkan etc. villages. If you survey anywhere in these villages, skin diseases are common. Skin, and respiratory diseases. Because the smell from there is so bad, it is so polluted. Due to the dirty water, respiratory diseases are common in these villages.
I am Nirmal Singh Sarabha, urban president, Maltsian. We are standing at the main Lohian Road bridge in Maltsian village. From behind, the Black Drain and the White River, which passes by Maltsian, merge near Maltsian village. But this filth, we have been fighting this struggle for 200-202 years, this filth has not been removed from us. We urban people, we don't understand, we don't know about geography, we don't know how poison affects the soil, how lands become poisonous over years, five-six years. Then when we get patents, we can't export, sometimes our corn comes back, sometimes our wheat comes back, sometimes even our potatoes come back. Explain this in detail, how this poison is eating away at the farming in this area.
When we are watering the crops, its effect is going into every crop. Take potatoes. Take potatoes, or sunflowers, corn, paddy, wheat. Yes, they used to water them mixed with it only once. But even that is causing harm now. Due to that, our bodies are getting more and more diseases. Which villages are those where people are falling victim to diseases? Approximately, maybe eight-ten villages are nearby, which are right on the banks of the river. Which ones, any names? Approximately, take Issewal, Navajipur, Muridwal, Memuwal, Badshahpur, Aliwal, Tarna, Pul, Nava Pind, Doneval. Which tehsil do these fall under? Tehsil Shahkot. Yes. Have people never raised an alarm about this? Sir, the issue has been raised many times, but nothing has been resolved. Our water has become more poisonous due to this river. Earlier, motors used to go up to 100-125 feet. Now, borewells have to be dug up to 450, 500, 600 feet. Due to the dirty water, deep water is potable. When were these motors installed at 125 feet? About five to seven years ago, a motor ran at 125 feet, which is now going at 200-250 feet. And the borewells that are now potable are going up to 600-650 feet. Such a drop in four-five years? Yes, yes, it has been five-six years. At least we are half a kilometer away, but the smell reaches our village. The smell is so much that children cannot play outside in the morning. Which village, sir? Village Memuwal Mahla, and our house is on the road, so our children cannot sit outside, the smell is so much. When a little water comes from behind or water comes from the mountains, it comes out. Due to that, our crops are greatly damaged, and it affects other things too. Any animal that falls in and dies, its smell is very bad for the children. And when there were floods, sir, a lot of them? Yes. And then all this black water came out? It came out, it even came into our village. And in the lands too? It affected the lands a lot. It affected the lands so much that for the last three-four years, the crops are being affected. Because it has affected the soil, and now as farming continues, it is greatly affecting it. Our area was once heaven. Its water was so good, it was white water, people used to drink it, people used to wash clothes here. And all kinds of livelihood depended on this river. After 1947, after the partition, our elders came. This was called the White River. A rupee dropped from above was visible below. After closing the streams of Hoshiarpur, the dirty water and dirty drains of Jalandhar were released from there. A drain also comes out from there, the Kala Singha Drain, which goes around and another comes from Jalandhar, the Drain. The confluence of these two drains, passing through Dhaddiyan near Maltsian, becomes a confluence here. These two drains join. Joining, and then flowing from here, affecting about 20-25 villages, it reaches the Sutlej River near Dhakka Basti village, and falls into the Sutlej River. Now that the rainy season has arrived, we are not getting any benefit from its water. We are getting cancer, jaundice, stomach problems, liver diseases. I can show you patients who have cancer. My grandmother also died of cancer. So many diseases have come from this, people have so many problems. But when the water in it increases, the water level increases, when it rains, this water will come out of the river and reach our homes, in the villages.
Have you gotten tests done? Get the reports. Tests have been done before. My body suddenly stopped, as if dead. What did you feel? Like infection, infection increased. When I showed it to the doctor, he said the infection has increased. What kind of infection was it, sir? The bathroom was blocked. Oh. And the strength to move around, the energy that gives strength to the body. The veins were blocked. And then you got a blood test done, sir? First we went to Jalandhar, then from there to Ludhiana, we went to many places, then even to Chandigarh. Where did you go in Jalandhar, and what did they tell you? They said the veins are blocked, it will take time to move slowly. Jalandhar hospital. Yes. After that, sir? After that, we went to Ludhiana. They said the bathroom also stopped coming, then they gave medicines, and then the bathroom started coming. We also went to Chandigarh, they also said it will get better slowly on its own. It came suddenly, like a tag tag, whatever you call it, pressure was applied. And what are these reports for? Blood test, or bone test, what is it? These are from the American Hospital, for the bathroom. Urine test. Yes, the bathroom was blocked, it was because of that. Oh. Yes. And are other people also sick like you here? Yes, yes, many places, many. Now, in our village itself, there are two-three cases here. Two-three? There are two-four cases in the village itself, which are due to the water. There is a lot of impurity in this water. Some have expired, you can say. Many have died. Yes, some have expired. How old? Say about 50-55 years old. Death occurred. Yes, meaning water filled up in their stomachs. Some people had vomiting, etc., and then everything went wrong. Some due to water, yes. People also have burning in their liver. Yes, yes, that burning also occurs here. What happens here? It feels like acid is formed. After eating food and water, it comes out. It remains like that. Is this your wife, sir? Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Please tell us about her, what are her problems, how did they happen, what is it? The problem started with an attack, sir. One leg was sticking out. Yes. Then a brain attack happened. Then one leg was moving with difficulty. Now it has been about ten days, and that has also stopped. The internal blood vessels have been damaged. Yes. And the kidneys also, it's bad, sir. Now the bathroom is also not coming, only blood is coming in the bathroom. Due to the kidneys, they have given up. The tests that have been done, the children have them, they are not here, they have gone. And respiratory problems too? She also had difficulty breathing. Yes. Breathing difficulty too. Yes. Yes. Like the monsoon, the monsoon was also there. Heart. Yes. What about that? Her heartbeat used to increase a lot. Heartbeat increased. Yes. Besides this, due to this dirty water, sir, there is a lot of filth in the water. In this village, so far, to our knowledge, eight-ten people have died of cancer. And still, five-four people are bedridden, and it is possible that this thing is also happening within us. Besides this, bone diseases are also happening a lot, like arthritis, and cancer, arthritis, eye diseases, heart problems. Many people, even at a young age, some at the age of 35-40 years, are having to get stents put in. And like that too? Yes, yes. Besides this, this dirty water is destroying everything here. Even if we have ACs installed, we have to change their indoor units after one year. The air is so bad that it even destroys the copper pipes. This means that running ACs in closed rooms is also fatal. Absolutely, sir, absolutely. We always run ACs in closed rooms, but even then, even being inside, their copper pipes are getting damaged. And what will be the condition of our kidneys or lungs, anyone can see that. Then many governments have come and gone. We have requested everyone. They have kept coming to us, but no one has tried to listen to this or clean it. And now, we can't blame all the governments, because we ourselves are not right. We collect our household waste and throw it all into the rivers. An animal dies, a cow dies, we throw it into the river. It is stuck. This is also happening. Yes. Because when we throw a cow into it, it will rot in the river, and the smell and disease will increase. Does this not become an issue? Like during elections or otherwise, people don't make noise about it? See, sir, during elections, noise. Or during panchayat elections, what kind of issue is this? It is an issue. But there is no one to raise the issue, brother. Because when there is an election, this village gets divided into party politics. And everyone supports their party, and the village issues are suppressed. Only then is it seen how to win our party's booth in the village, how to suppress other things. And like the field behind you, the one behind you? Yes. And this black, poisonous water is also seeping into the soil. It is in the crops, and then, that's why we are getting diseases. When the water is in the crops, and if it rains a little more, this paddy will all be submerged. Usually, the crop that is produced there will come into our homes, into our bodies. It will definitely cause disease. It will come out in the frame. Oh, oh, okay. Yes. Because even if the crop is saved, which has been in poisonous water, it will still come into our homes after being produced, and it will give us diseases. If diseases continue to spread at this rate, then earlier we used to have elders of 80-90 years in our village, now people are dying at the age of 50. And the coming generation, I think, in 25-30 years, will not even be able to walk, their knees will give out. I had a breathing problem two years ago, I started having difficulty breathing. And then I had to go to doctors, and I had to get a stent put in due to a heart problem. Oh, what is your age, sir? My age is 45. 45 years old. Yes. They say there are other people too, younger than you, young people, who are having heart problems like this. Yes, there are many problems, heart problems, cancer has also come, and then like arthritis, as these brothers have said, all these problems are in the village due to the river. The Black Drain, the pollution being caused in the Black Drain, the filth being dumped into it, a special investigative committee should be formed and its report should be submitted to the NGT. And based on the fact-finding report of the committee, we will decide the next course of action. See, sir, the Black Drain is 40 meters away from the Variyana dam site. All the trucks that are coming here are coming uncovered, all the filth is falling into the drain. After that, the NGT has clearly written in the Punjab Pollution Control Board that a dump has been created behind the Kohinoor factory, a small dump, right on the side of the Black Drain. All that garbage is falling into the Black Drain. This is what will eventually meet the Sutlej. This is the water we are drinking. And in our NGT petition, we have also demanded that a special investigative committee be formed to investigate how the Black Drain is being polluted here, and a fact-finding committee should be formed and action should be taken. And what is the NGT's observation regarding the Black Drain, and what directions have been given so far? See, sir, this is not a new matter, it is a very old matter. In 2019, Justice Jasbir Singh, retired, a very high-level committee was formed. From 2019 itself, in Punjab. The NGT formed it. The NGT formed it. It also included members from CPCB and PPPCB. And many detailed reports have been submitted to the NGT and the government. What was its main point? Its main point was that the pollution happening in the Sutlej should be checked. And when we talk about pollution in the Sutlej, our White River, and in the White River, the Black Drain is a main pollutant. Because the most pollution in Jalandhar is being caused in the Black Drain. It has become a poisonous, cancerous river. The Kala Singha Drain starts from the outskirts of Jalandhar, from the industrial area, near Bulandpur village. Oh, yes. And unfortunately, I say unfortunately because Jalandhar in Punjab is famous for cottage industries. And on its banks, electroplating industries are located. And the hand tool industry. All are located on its banks. The one that pollutes this water the most is the tanneries, leather tanneries. Leather tanneries are also on the banks of this drain, due to which its water is very black and dirty. And ultimately, the source of Jalandhar's industrial wastewater falls into the White River. Is there any treatment plant? Sir, there are quite a few treatment plants, but basically, the problem is that if the treatment plant is upstream and the industry is downstream, there is no benefit. If I talk about the Focal Point, where there are big factories, you have installed a four or five MLD plant. That is a sewage treatment plant. Oh, the one you saw. The sewage treatment plants are. Yes, yes. Where is the problem? Industrial wastewater should be treated in a CETP, not in a sewage treatment plant. Is there a CETP for Focal Point Industrial Area? No, sir. Here, industrial wastewater is mixed with sewage water, which is the whole problem. Environmentalists, in the name of the environment, people have pocketed crores of rupees. They have taken big positions, received awards, but the Black Drain is still there today, the White River is still there today, it is just as dirty. If a CETP plant is to be installed, to clean the water of the Black Drain, it should be installed downstream, where it goes. Where the factories are. Below the factories. Where the industrial area ends. Install it there. And the White River should have a treatment plant before it meets the drain. The water from the electroplating industry should be treated in the CETP at the place where the industry is located. In Ludhiana, there is a treatment plant where water from Jalandhar goes for treatment. In Jalandhar, the electroplating and other industries, there is no means to treat the wastewater that comes out. That water is mixed with sewage water and put into treatment plants. Basically, the water, if officers are strict, these people, it has been seen in many places, the industry has started putting the water into the ground by drilling boreholes underground. Let's first find out from the officers here, how much water is coming, a five MLD plant. STP. STP. Yes. How much is that five MLD plant accounting for? How much is being discharged directly, how much is coming, how much is being discharged directly? There is a committee, I was a member of that committee. I went to Ludhiana and checked the water purification there. Even that was somewhat clean. But the water here, mixed with sewage, is not being treated at all. They are throwing dust in people's eyes. Factory water is going in, as you saw. Factories are putting water directly, people are putting it in. You saw the condition of Jalandhar's leather industry. How pipes are laid. How black water is falling into the Black Drain. And the Black Drain, passing through villages, falls into the White River. The White River turns black, deeply black, just as you have seen how people are getting sick. In the villages, there are three brothers who have brought us here, from unpaved paths, from embankments, we have reached the banks of the Sutlej. On the Shahkot side, you can see the railway bridge, and on the other side, as you saw, machines are running. This work of building the embankment, putting soil on the embankment, digging and putting soil, or mining work is going on. Because mining is banned at this time, the month of July, as you know, mining is completely banned during the monsoon season. There are its own reasons. As you saw, how fish are dead on the banks of the Sutlej River. There are two main reasons for this. One main reason is that this river, this poisonous river, the black colored water from factories and cities, where no sewage treatment plant is working, all that poisonous water comes and falls into the river, and how fish are dying. White, milk-like white fish, we have also shown you a close-up zoom. And the second reason is mining. During mining, the water, the water, on one side, due to mining, the terrain, the bed of the river becomes uneven. Pits are formed, and the water slowly dries up in them, and the fish that remain. It is the breeding season. This is also a matter of sin and virtue for those who believe in sin and virtue. If people go to gurdwaras and temples, then this is a sin. When it is the breeding season for fish, when fish lay eggs, in the month of July, if mining is happening illegally during those days, and water remains in those pits, and when the water dries up, the fish die. This is the second reason, mining and breeding season. We should not disturb the flora and fauna of our rivers. Flora and fauna, meaning all living beings, whether plants, vegetation, or animals. That is why mining is banned in the months of July and August. And these two main reasons are given for how the life of the river banks is being destroyed. Poisonous water, all the villages, no one speaks. Due to so much black water, it is also affecting our lives. When you see, when the embankments broke, the water flowed black there, and the water of the HT river. I think it would have been difficult for us to cross because of the dirt and smell in the water. I think our noses have become blocked. It seems people have preferred to live here, thinking they have to live here, but how much can the owner do? You have seen how angry people are in the villages. Among the youth, people have fallen into despair. We have done so much in the past. Political people have also taken advantage of this. Taking them along, to build embankments on the drain, they have never reduced their support. People used to go in trolleys and tractors, standing behind them. But those political people have made their paths to chairs smoother by roasting their own bread. But the issue remains where it was. Political people, you have come today, you have done this work village by village, this awareness has spread. And in the coming times, and from the past, this has been an issue, politics has been done on this. We have also had debates. We have invited political people. Many social workers from here, now we have to say with very sad hearts, people want that no one should take anyone's name, and no one should be questioned. Here, Sant Seechewal, Baba Balbir Singh ji is also here. He is also associated with the issue of these waters. The whole world is with him today. We had great hope that he would resolve these issues. The President has also awarded him as an environmentalist. About 15-20 years ago, when we went with them, people had built embankments on the drain, with sacks at Kala Singha. We also have pamphlets. Yes, we will come to that. Our new generation, let us tell you, before Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal became a Rajya Sabha member, the credit for cleaning the Kali Bein was attributed to him. He was given the title for cleaning the Kali Bein, he was given credit. And after that, he received recognition across the country. The black water that he removed, where is that black water going now? It has evaporated. I don't understand. You explain this. This is the point, isn't it? Well, we are grateful that the Kali Bein became white, but the White River has become black. There has been so much pollution in it, and all our neighboring villages have become hell, whereas they were once like heaven. We used to use water from there, we didn't need tube wells so much. We used to use water. We still say that no one trusts any leader's words now. But the saints, the great souls, who did such a great task, people had faith in them. That their term has come, God has also blessed them with power. We only wanted from them that if that water is turned back and brought this way, the leather work or whatever is happening behind, today morning, we say with very sad hearts, our village is on the river. The stench that comes in the morning, we have to bear it. Cancer, other diseases, we have had to bear them. At this time, our area has become hell. And why shouldn't we ask the question that with so much power you have, in this term of four-five years that has passed, there has only been a breach of promise, not even a zero set has been achieved. You have seen now that the same flow is going into it. It was very difficult to tell and show such a serious issue today without these brothers. If you found our conversation reasonable, then like it and share it so that this conversation reaches as many people as possible. If you have any thoughts in your mind, any conversation on your mind, or any question, then definitely write it in our comment column and subscribe to our Story Talk channel. When subscribing to the channel, definitely press the bell icon button so that any future story related to people that we share on this channel reaches you, and its notification comes to your phone. Therefore, when subscribing to the channel, definitely press the bell icon button. Here is my appeal. 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