BADAL CALLS FOR TIME BOUND ACTION PROGRAMME
TO ENSURE
"SAFE DRINKING WATER FOR ALL"
CHANDIGARH MAY 14, 2008
Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today called for
chalking out a multi-pronged time bound strategy to achieve the
objective of 'safe drinking water for all' through proper monitoring
of rural water supply schemes by application of Reverse Osmosis
(RO), Silver Ionization and Ultra Violet techniques depending
on the quality of water.
Presiding over a meeting of the expert committee on "Audit
of Drinking Water Quality & Rural Water Supply Schemes"
here this morning, Mr. Badal directed the State Chief Secretary
to convene a meeting of officers from Punjab State Pollution Control
Board, Punjab State Council for Science & Technology, departments
of Water Supply & Sanitation and Health to finalize the modalities
to implement the schemes aimed at purifying water especially in
the most polluted zones of the state with a high variant of toxicity
due to industrial wastes & effluents, overuse of pesticides.
He also asked the Secretary Water Supply & Sanitation to identify
the processes of purification of water block wise after carrying
out an extensive survey as the quality of water varied from village
to village.
Mr. Badal assured the committee that there was no paucity of
funds for the implementation of the recommendations given by the
expert committee since water was the life line and moreover the
state government was committed to provide safe water to the people.
He also underscored the need to educate the people through organizing
state wide mass awareness campaigns using rural health workers
including Active Social Health Associates (ASHAs) about the ill-effects
of contaminated water and consequently the likely threat of out
breaks of viral hepatitis, gastrointestinal infections besides
bone & joint disorders and dental caries.
Briefing the Chief Minister the Chairman of the Expert Committee
& Vice Chairman Punjab State Planning Board Prof. JS Bajaj
emphasised the need for a holistic approach keeping in view sub
optimal community management of water resources including over-exploitation,
insensitivity to conservation, inappropriate agriculture practices
and inadequate treatment of municipal and industrial waste etc.
"The plethora of programmes being funded through Central
support and States's own resources, need to be harnessed by assuring
synergy and convergence" said Mr. Bajaj.
The expert committee also observed that the health effects were
considered a manifestation of higher level of heavy metals and
pesticides in drinking water which were also accumulating in food
chain as well as in human biological fluid samples such as blood
and urine. The committee also recommended to constitute a dedicated
group of secretaries administering all concerned departments/programmes
involved in the provision of potable water in rural areas under
the chairmanship of Chief Secretary. The group of Secretaries
would periodically report to the Chief Minister seeking further
directions and guidance.
Earlier, Mr.Bajaj submitted the report of Expert Committee on
Audit of Drinking Water Quality & Rural Water Supply Schemes.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister held detailed deliberations with
the team of experts from Ion Exchange India Ltd. - a reputed company
in the field of water purification led by its Managing Director
Rajesh Sharma. Mr. Badal asked the General Manager North Manish
Gandhi to undertake a study especially in the Malwa belt which
had a high incidence of Cancer to determine the nature of contamination
in the water and suggest versatile technology to improve the quality
of water for drinking and irrigation purposes.
Prominent amongst others who were present in the meeting included
Health & Family Welfare Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla, Chief
Secretary RI Singh, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister DS Guru,
Secretary Science Technology & Environment AS Chhatwal, Secretary
Water Supply & Sanitation PS Aujla, Special Secretary Planning
Tejveer Singh, Executive Director PSCST NS Tiwana and Chairman
Punjab state Pollution Control Board Yogesh Goel.
IRRIGATION PROGRAMME FOR KHARIF SEASON ANNOUNCED
CHANDIGARH, May 14, 2008
The Irrigation Department, Punjab has announced the Rotational
irrigation Programme for the Kharif Season through Canal water
from 13 May to 20 May, 2008. The channels of Sirhind Canal System
would run on priority basis from Patiala feeder, Abohar Branch,
Bist Doab Canal, Sidhwan Branch, Bhatinda Branch and respectively.
Disclosing this here today a spokesman of the irrigation department
said that direct distributaries of Ghaggar link and its off taking
channels i.e. Ghaggar Branch and Patiala Minor in Group 'B' being
in the Ist preference will run to their indent. Balance water
supplies available will be utilised in direct distributaries of
Bhakra main line of Group 'A'.
The spokesman further said that the Punjab channels off taking
from Harika and Ferozepur Head Works & Branches i.e. Abohar
Branch off taking from Sirhind Feeder and its distributaries of
group "B" would run on first preference to their indent.
Balance water supplies available would be utilised in direct distributaries
of Sirhind Feeder in Group "A".
The spokesman also said that the channels off taking from upper
Bari Doab Canal i.e. Sabraon Branch with its distributaries being
in first Preference would run to their indent. Balance Surplus
water available would be utilised in Kasur Branch Lower, Main
Branch Lower, Lahore Branch and with its distributaries respectively.
WHEAT PROCUREMENT CLOCKS 102 LAC TONNES
MARK IN PUNJAB
Chandigarh, May 14:
Six government agencies and private millers in Punjab have procured
more than 101.96 lac tonnes of wheat against 74.33 Lac tonnes
procured till date last year recording a growth of over 37% than
last year.
According to an official spokesman, out of 101,96,983 tonnes
procured till date which 9617394 tonnes (94.3%) has been procured
for the central pool and 2,87,286 tonnes (2.8%) for the State
pool whereas traders lifted 2,92.303 tonnes of Wheat.
The spokesman said that till May 13, PUNGRAIN had procured 17,
92,674 tonnes (18.6%) whereas MARKFED procured 23, 06,493 tonnes
(24%). PUNSUP procured 22, 07, 546 tonnes (23%), PSWC procured
11, 77,397 tonnes (12.4%) whereas PAIC was able to procure10,
87,568 tonnes (11.3 %) of wheat for the central pool. The Central
Government agency FCI had been able to procure 10, 45,716 tonnes
(10.9%) for the central pool.
He added that Ferozepur District with 11,89,471 tonnes of procurement
was leading in procurement operations whereas Sangrur District
with 9,46,872 tonnes of procurement was at second slot and Ludhiana
district with 8,43,006 tonnes of procurement ranked at third position.
The Punjab Government allocated more than Rs. 11316 crores to
the agencies for making payment to the farmers for wheat procured
upto May 12, 2008 ensuring payment to the farmers within 48 hours
of lifting of their wheat.
The State Government has set up over 1623 procurement centres
and activated its total machinery to ensure smooth procurement
of wheat, the spokesman added.
