In a bid to tackle the problem of polluting water bodies, as many as seven teams of National Green Tribunal (NGT) and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) are set to conduct surveys of rivers in Muzaffarnagar from Thursday. These teams will take samples from Hindon, Kali and Krishna rivers, apart from taking underground water samples from other spots.
Earlier, a large number of residents from villages situated on the banks of these rivers had raised concerns about the quality of water, especially for drinking. Following mounting complaints, NGT decided to carry out a series of checks of these water bodies.
According to officials in UP Pollution Control Board’s Muzaffarnagar unit, these teams will be camping in Muzaffarnagar for two-three days. “We have been informed about their visit. They will collect samples from various rivers flowing near villages. They will also check the impact of industrial waste on water bodies here,” said Vivek Roy, an officer of UPPCB in Muzaffarnagar.
Complaints about poor quality of water have been on the rise. Last year in November, locals from Nirana and Joli villages had claimed that drinking water in their areas was heavily polluted. Following their complaints, the state health department had sent a team of doctors to these areas and it was established that residents had actually suffered from rashes and skin diseases due to the poor quality of water.
Joli village head Shah Raza Naqvi said, “We had a team from health department visiting our village sometime back. However, no permanent solutions were offered and most handpumps continue to supply contaminated water.”
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/