Untreated sewage pollutes river; threatens water supply

Panchkula: Serious concerns have emerged over the quality of drinking water in Panchkula, with the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) finding that untreated sewage is being discharged into the Kaushalya river. Water supply from the river, which is a key source of the city’s water supply, is set to be restored next month.In view of the potential public health risk, the Panchkula regional office of the board has issued a show-cause notice to the executive engineer of the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED). The department has been asked to explain why environmental compensation should not be imposed for the violation.The action has come in the wake of a field inspection by a field officer on May 25 by a field after a complaint. During the inspection, officials found constant flow of untreated sewage into the river from a drain point near Pinjore.Officials found that this discharge reaches Kaushalya dam, from where water is supplied to city households. The board described this as a matter of serious concern, especially as no action plan has been submitted to plug the discharge point.In its notice, the pollution control board directed PHED to take immediate corrective steps to stop the inflow of untreated sewage. The department has also been asked to ensure that waste water is treated and disposed of as per prescribed environmental norms.The notice carries a strict warning. PHED has been given 15 days to comply with the directions, failing which it may face closure, environmental compensation, and prosecution under provisions of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act.Despite the findings, officials from the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) sought to downplay the immediate risk. A senior official said water supply from the Kaushalya river has been suspended since 2023 due to a damaged pipeline, which is currently under repair.At present, the city’s water needs are being met through tubewells and Kajauli waterworks. The official added that once supply resumes, water will pass through a treatment plant before distribution, which would eliminate contamination concerns.Officials of the Panchkula Metropolitan Development Authority (PMDA) confirmed that pipeline repair work is nearing completion. Water supply from the Kaushalya dam through the treatment plant is expected to resume next month.However, residents remain worried. Many said concerns about sewage contamination have existed for long, and the board’s inspection has validated their fears. They worry that the resumption of supply from the dam could expose households to unsafe water.Civil society groups have also raised alarm. Vijay Bansal, president of Shivalik Vikas Manch, said the Kaushalya dam has been facing continuous contamination from multiple sources. He pointed to untreated sewage from Pinjore drains, runoff from a nearby gaushala, waste from a dumping ground, and discharge from a slum settlement as contributors to pollution.He added that the dam, built in 2012 at a cost of around Rs 150 crore, was meant to provide clean drinking water to Panchkula’s urban sectors. Instead, the deteriorating water quality now poses a serious health risk.Residents of affected areas echoed these concerns. Mohit Gupta, a resident of Sector 25, said people are anxious about the plan to resume supply from the dam. He alleged that the river gets contaminated well before reaching the reservoir due to untreated discharge from Kalka-Pinjore and nearby habitations.He warned that supplying water from such a compromised source could have serious consequences for public health. “We need safe and clean drinking water, not a crisis,” he said.With the deadline set by the pollution control board and supply from Kaushalya dam likely to resume soon, attention is now on whether authorities can fix the lapses in time.