Polluted Rivers Threaten Lives and Crops: Kumari Selja Blames Govt Negligence for Rising Diseases and Environmental Damage

Chandigarh, February 26, 2025: The General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee, former Union Minister, and Member of Parliament from Sirsa Kumari Selja said that due to the indifference of the BJP government in the state, the water of Yamunanagar is becoming polluted. About 113 factories in the state are dumping untreated chemical-laden dirty water into the Yamuna River. Waterborne diseases are spreading, crops are being destroyed, and livestock are dying. On the other hand, the polluted water of the Ghaggar River is becoming the leading cause of cancer, and thousands of people are affected. The government should take strict measures and take strong action against those who are polluting the rivers.

In a statement released to the media, Kumari Selja said that a report by the Haryana State Central Pollution Control Board revealed irregularities in the water samples taken from the effluent treatment plants of factories in industrial areas. This means that the water of the Yamuna River is becoming polluted in Haryana. The dirty water from 113 factories in the state is directly being dumped into the Yamuna River. In the industrial areas of Yamunanagar, Sonipat, and Panipat, polluted water is directly flowing into the Yamuna. The Yamuna River enters Haryana from the Hathnikund Barrage and passes through Yamunanagar, Karnal, Panipat, Sonipat, and Faridabad. The total length of the river is 1317 kilometers, out of which 320 kilometers is in Haryana, and it travels 65 kilometers in Yamunanagar. The pollution of this river begins here. Even after the sewage treatment plant (STP), the water cannot be released into the canal. The pollution of the Yamuna River is hurting people’s religious faith as well.

Kumari Selja said that the government issues orders to stop the flow of chemical-laden water and sewage from industrial units, but these orders are not enforced. Several drains are falling into the Yamuna River in the Yamuna River region. This polluted water is not only contaminating the river water but is also polluting the groundwater. Furthermore, the chemical-laden water is threatening the lives of aquatic creatures. On the other hand, waterborne diseases are increasing due to the contaminated water. Heavy metals (from industrial waste) are causing diseases like cancer, developmental issues in the brain, kidney failure, lung diseases, and others. Kumari Selja said that no one has the right to play with the lives of the poor. The government must take action against the factory operators polluting the Yamuna.