Bhopal: Punjab Water Resources Minister Brahmashankar Zimpa has alleged that polluted river water coming from Pakistan is causing cancer in people in the border districts of the state. Speaking at the recently concluded Water Vision@2047, Zimpa further alleged that the main reason behind the high number of cancer patients in Punjab is that they are drinking contaminated water in which carcinogenic substances have been found.
Addressing the gathering at the two-day-long conference which started on January 5, the minister said that the amount of pollutants in the water is so high that it a large number of people in Punjab is suffering from grey hair since childhood.
The minister urged the Centre to allot more funds to Punjab to deal with the issue adding that without the help of the Union Government clean drinking water cannot be delivered to the people of Punjab.
Speaking on the issue at a press conference held after the conclusion of the event, Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that that he does not think that the rivers flowing into India from neighboring countries are not a challenge but a boon for the people.
Describing it as a "geographical arrangement", the Union Minister also said that the Sutlej river which comes back to Punjab via Pakistan is somewhat polluted adding that Pakistan alone is not responsible for the issue.
Delivering the Keynote address, the Union Minister said “by 2047, our requirement is likely to surpass the availability of water and this is the reason why Prime Minister insisted that this conference should be held with all the States to holistically discuss this issue, chalk out a roadmap to ensure preparedness and contingency planning. Our country is fast moving towards becoming a developed country and therefore, it becomes important to start planning and working towards ensuring water availability for the future. We all need to keep working together to work out a plan for all States individually and together as a nation towards ensuring water availability”.
