GURDASPUR: After visiting the border areas of Gurdaspur district along with MP Partap Singh Bajwa, minister for rural development Jairam Ramesh on Friday said that full assistance would be given to Punjab government if it comes out with any proposal to tackle the uranium contamination in underground water.
Among others who accompanied Ramesh included Punjab Pardesh Congress Committee (PPCC) member Raman Behal, Ashwani Sekhri (MLA ) and Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa (MLA).
While admitting that nothing much bad been done to improve the quality of drinking water Ramesh said that his ministry would focus on providing quality drinking water. He also said that an additional budgetary provision was made for the purpose. "We will support any project submitted to the ministry by the Punjab government for providing safe drinking water," he said.
In the recent past, the government had issued directions to install Reverse Osmosis (RO) water purifier system in the villages of Tarn Taran district where presence of radioactive material was found in the water samples.
The RO purifying system is a preventive measure against the spread of toxic particles in water that can cause kidney diseases, cancer apart from deadly diseases.
Water samples taken from Sarhali Khurd and Chambal villages of Naushehra Pannuan confirmed traces of uranium after they were tested at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Mumbai.
The rural development minister said that his ministry had recently directed the setting up of International Centre for Water Quality in Kolkata. This centre would primarily deal with problems relating to arsenic contamination.
Known as Green Man, Ramesh said that he aimed at providing green cover to the rural India by way of afforestration, water conservation , restoration of water bodies under various schemes.
Ramesh said he had asked Punjab chief minister to make the state 'open defecation free' in next three years time.
Among others who accompanied Ramesh included Punjab Pardesh Congress Committee (PPCC) member Raman Behal, Ashwani Sekhri (MLA ) and Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa (MLA).
While admitting that nothing much bad been done to improve the quality of drinking water Ramesh said that his ministry would focus on providing quality drinking water. He also said that an additional budgetary provision was made for the purpose. "We will support any project submitted to the ministry by the Punjab government for providing safe drinking water," he said.
In the recent past, the government had issued directions to install Reverse Osmosis (RO) water purifier system in the villages of Tarn Taran district where presence of radioactive material was found in the water samples.
The RO purifying system is a preventive measure against the spread of toxic particles in water that can cause kidney diseases, cancer apart from deadly diseases.
Water samples taken from Sarhali Khurd and Chambal villages of Naushehra Pannuan confirmed traces of uranium after they were tested at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Mumbai.
The rural development minister said that his ministry had recently directed the setting up of International Centre for Water Quality in Kolkata. This centre would primarily deal with problems relating to arsenic contamination.
Known as Green Man, Ramesh said that he aimed at providing green cover to the rural India by way of afforestration, water conservation , restoration of water bodies under various schemes.
Ramesh said he had asked Punjab chief minister to make the state 'open defecation free' in next three years time.
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