Pak Tanneries Poisoning Punjab Folk

[genie]

Generations of people across Punjab's Malwa region are under a serious health threat because of heavy metal poisoning from tanneries in Pakistan.

The poisoning is happening because of contamination of the Sutlej river flowing through the region from effluents released by the tanneries in Pakistan's Kasur region. The concentration of toxics has gone beyond safe limits and left the soil, water and food chain affected. The worst hit areas are Ferozpur, Muktsar, Bhatinda and Jalalabad.

The effects have to be seen to be believed. Newborns across villages and towns are being afflicted with incurable diseases, genetic defects and mental retardation. Adults are suffering from skin diseases and other ailments. Many are crippled and confined to homes or living on wheelchairs.

Govt wakes up

After Headlines Today reported the story, the Indian government is promising action. Minister of State for External Affairs Praneet Kaur told Headlines Today that her ministry will take up the matter with its counterparts in Pakistan.

The poisoning

The discharge from the 170 tanneries in Kasur, just a few kilometres across the border, enters the Sutlej's tributary in India and further contaminates the groundwater. This has been continuing for the past 16 years.

"It's true the waste from tanneries in Kasur area of Pakistan comes into the Sutlej," says Ferozpur Deputy Commissioner K.K. Yadav.

Vijay Sood, the SDM of Fazilka area in Ferozpur, says: "There is dirty water coming in from Pakistan's side. An order has been given for samples of the water to be collected."

The lethal effluents from the tanneries include mercury, lead and chromium. It has left the groundwater not just unfit for drinking but also irrigation.

"Polluted water from the factories comes into this river. Our animals die. Water from the borewells too is bad. Whoever drinks it falls sick," says a resident.

Another resident complains that the fish too are dying because of the contamination.

- Reporting by Siddharth Tiwari, Mandeep Kumar and Manaman Singh Chhina

[Southall Youth]

What a load of lies our River water actually goes to Pakistan not Pakistans water comming our way just look at the map,Indias trying to hide the fact that they're releasing urainium in to Panjabs water and as usual blames Pakistan

[GPS]

I really am not able to understand this news. Kasur is across Patti town of Punjab and in Laohore district of pakistan.

Malwa is in Indian Punjab.Sutlej river flows from India to pakistan and at harike works Sutlej and beas join together

and then flow into pakistan.

If they discharge effluents in Pakistan, it should have no effect on Indian side until they mean ground is saturated

with with effluents and become toxic. This seems to be a piece of rag news. Can the poster give us link to the news source.

[genie]

Both sides of Punjab are chucking huge amounts of toxins into the water from manufacturing factories and these pollutants are getting into the water supply and in turn get into crops and also the natural water which is stored underground. And in turn is effecting the people who drink from the contaminated water, this matter should be taken seriously on government level as fewer generations of Punjabi Sikhs and other punjabi's would be left with disabilities and incurable diseases not of their making.

[chatanga]

pakpattan and ferozepur are on oposite sides of the satluj. Im surprised that any thing from pakistan side could enter satleuj in indian side especially if you look at the river maps of panjab. indian side has already polluted the rivers so much anyway, i think as usual they are looking for a scapegoat. if by remote chance anything from pakistan came into satleuj, it would not be able to generate a problem in such a large area.

Have any news about this been reported in pakistanh side of panjab?