Strengthen laws to check river pollution: Seechewal

Raising the issue of growing pollution in rivers and water bodies, Rajya Sabha member Balbir Singh Seechewal has emphasised the need to strengthen the 1974 Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act and reinstate punitive measures. He described the Central and State Pollution Control Boards as “white elephants” whose negligence has led to severe pollution in the nation’s rivers and water bodies and asked them to take immediate remedial measures. The MP termed the increasing pollution in rivers during the Zero Hour as a matter of grave concern.

Seechewal strongly criticised the amendment to the Act of 1974, which removed punitive provisions. He pointed out that the discharge of chemically contaminated water by factories into rivers is causing deadly diseases, including cancer, among the people. .He stated that both the Central and state governments, through amendments to the 1974 Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, have effectively granted a free pass to factories that pollute the rivers. He emphasised that water is an extremely serious issue, tied to human existence, and life on earth cannot be imagined without water. The weakening of this law has removed the deterrent for factory owners, he added.

Seechewal asserted that water is not only a right for humans, but also for plants, animals and birds. He highlighted that clean air, clean water and clean food are fundamental rights of the people. He further pointed out that there are three primary sources of pollution: Urban areas, villages and factories. Similarly, there are three entities responsible for controlling pollution: Drainage Department, Pollution Control Boards and Municipal Corporations, all of which have failed in fulfilling their duties.

Seechewal also mentioned that India’s traditions are rich and high in value, as people have always worshipped rivers. The rivers can only be cleaned with the active participation of people, he said.

Seechewal, who played a pivotal role in cleaning Guru Nanak’s sacred river with the help of the Sangat (community), mentioned that eight cities and 45 villages used to discharge their waste water into the sacred Bein, which was successfully stopped using the Seechewal model. He stated in the House that Baba Nanak’s river is a successful model for cleaning the country’s rivers, which was accomplished with the community’s participation, and this model should be adopted to clean all the rivers of the country.

Ludhiana