Once a clean river and its water used for rituals in gurdwaras, the Ghaggar has over the past several years turned into a polluted water body.

Several organisations from Ratia in Fatehabad have decided to launch a renewed agitation against the reported indifference of the authorities to pollution of the Ghaggar flowing near the town.

Dera Bassi, April 23: Despite a ban, quarrying is going on unchecked at the Ghaggar river bed right under the nose of authorities concerned for the past couple of months.

Notwithstanding repeated representations by farmers, villagers and Left parties, the authorities have failed to take steps to check heavy pollution in the Ghaggar, which continues to be a bane for

After several pleas fail to move neighbouring state, PPCB to take it up with central board

Unable to check Haryana’s industrial units from releasing their toxic waste into the Saraswati drain in Punjab, the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has decided to strongly take up the matter with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Sangrur, July 23: Under the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP), the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests has sanctioned Rs 48.94 crore to set up sewage treatment plants at Lehragaga, Khan

Expressing concern over pollution in Ghaggar river in Punjab, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today sought help from his Haryana and Himachal Pradesh counterparts to take steps to prevent discha

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today sought the personal intervention of his Haryana and Himachal Pradesh counterparts Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Virbhadra Singh to stop the reckless discharge of untreated domestic waste water and industrial effluents into the Ghaggar in Punjab’s territory.

Presiding over a meeting of senior officers of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), Badal underscored the need to resolve this inter-state environmental issue.

A long judicial stay on the sand mining has caused an increase in the cases of illegal sand mining and has also increased the rates of sand in the market. The police had registered many cases of illegal sand mining and seized loaded trucks and trolleys.

To check the illegal sand mining, the state government and later the High Court had imposed a ban on sand mining over an year ago. However, sometime ago, the High Court had removed the ban, but due to the lack of environmental clearance from the concerned departments, most of the mining sites were lying without auction. During this period, illegal sand mining was encouraged in the Ghaggar river and some other small rivers in this area. On the other hand, customers are bound to purchase sand at higher rates for construction works.

Fatehabad DC orders pollution check

Following a spate of reports about prevalence of cancer in villages adjoining the Ghaggar, allegedly due to its polluted water, Fatehabad Deputy Commissioner (DC) Dr Saket Kumar today asked the officials concerned to find a solution to the problem. Villagers from over six villages had recently apprised Dr Saket Kumar about the alarming trend during his visit to the Ghaggar near Chandpura. The DC had gone there to review flood-control measures in the area.