Punjab: Ferozepur water poses health risk

On the outskirts of Ferozepur, river Sutlej has caused trouble for the residents as floods have swept away villages from Harike Wetland to Hussainiwala. Adding to the misery of these residents, the water level has been drastically increased as wastewater from tanneries in Kasur, Pakistan has been discharged into the river.

The situation is so grave that the fencing at the India-Pakistan border has also submerged. This led Ferozepur MLA Parminder Singh Pinki and Deputy Commissioner Chandra Gaind to review the situation at the border on Thursday. "Pakistan has deliberately released polluted and dirty water from the leather factories of Kasur," said Gaind. "The neighbouring nation has been doing this for the last many years due to which the people residing in the villages located at the Indian border," added Gaind. He also said that the harmful water has also affected the aquatic life in the river. Reportedly, the people residing at the border villages have been suffering from the diseases related to skin, teeth and stomach.

Speaking to this correspondent, MLA Pinki alleged, "Pakistan is trying to fulfil its smuggling objectives in the garb of releasing the poisonous water in Sutlej from the refineries." "However, they will never get success as our soldiers have been deployed at the border," Pinki added. The water release comes days after Pak PM Imran Khan complained that India did not alert Pakistan before discharging water.

—Zee Media Newsroom