September 10, 2024: The white canal, which is increasingly becoming polluted, is forcing villagers to endure its detrimental effects. Contaminated water from village wells and submersible pumps is spreading diseases.
The canal begins from the village of Barba Bagora in the Garhshankar tehsil of Hoshiarpur district and passes through Shahid Bhagat Singh Nagar, Banga, Phagwara, and crosses Chehradu, Kang Sahabu, and Malia before reaching the final village of Giddarpindi in Jalandhar district, where it flows into the Satluj River. The canal’s water has been polluted due to the discharge of wastewater from several cities, towns, and commercial establishments. The situation is worsened as the water has been contaminated further by chemicals, especially in the section beyond Chehradu.
The water is further polluted by sewage from the Jalandhar sewage treatment plant, as well as manure and deceased animals from the Jamshair dairy complex. Nearly four decades ago, people used to bathe in this canal at religious sites along its banks. To address this issue, Rajya Sabha member Balbir Singh Seechewal, with the support of the state government, has been making efforts to release 200 cusecs of water from the new city near the village of Simbli into the canal to help clean it.
Call for Government Action: Environmentalists
Environmentalists Dr. Nirmal Singh and Master Bahadar Singh Sandhu have highlighted that the continuous flow of contaminated water has led to the accumulation of a sludge layer at the bottom of the canal. They have urged the government to prioritize the cleanup of this canal, which divides Doaba into two parts, to ensure it is free from pollution.