Residents of
Barmala village, near here, are up in arms against the pollution being
caused by industrial units in the Gwalthai area of Himachal Pradesh.
Villagers and
members of social organisations who staged a protest demonstration on
Thursday, alleged the factories were releasing toxic effluents into
the Barmala Khud, which joined the Sutlej at Nangal, affecting the
health of residents and animals downstream.
Dr Sanjeev
Gautam of the NGO Jagriti alleged they had also submitted a memorandum
to Himachal Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal in this regard, but no
action was taken.
He added Punjab
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had also written to Dhumal, asking
him to take steps to stop the release of effluents into water bodies
that flow into downstream Punjab. The mat- ter had also been taken up
with the Central Pollution Control Board.
Dr Gautam warned
the villagers would block the Barmala Khud as well as the Nangal-
Bhakra road in case something was not done immediately.
Barmala sarpanch
Amrik Singh was among those who participated in the protest.
