The Condition of Punjab
        (The School of Guru Nank) 
                                           (Part-3)
Take steps to check depleting water table: HC to govt 
 Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 2
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has taken a serious view of inaction on part of the Punjab Government and Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) to prepare a concrete action plan for meeting the challenge of depleting underground water level.
The rap on the knuckles came during the resumed hearing of a petition filed in public interest by advocate HC Arora. He was seeking enforcement of notifications issued by the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) for declaring a number of blocks in Punjab as “notified areas” and for banning the use of underground water in the construction of buildings.
Directions were also sought for appropriate directions to the State of Punjab to permit construction only by utilising treated water from sewerage plants. Taking up the matter, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri and Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain observed that the steps taken by the Punjab Government and PUDA were not sufficient.
Mere issuance of notifications or instructions to the deputy commissioners was not enough. Steps were required to be taken by the government and PUDA to chalk out a concrete action plan for the enforcement of such notifications by the appropriate authorities.
“The notification declaring Ludhiana as a notified area” was issued in 1998, and similar notifications declaring Moga and Sangrur were issued in 2006, yet till date those notifications banning construction by using underground water have not been enforced? What is the concrete action plan with you for the enforcement of these notifications? Why don’t you ensure that only sewerage treated water is used for construction of buildings?” were several questions put by the Bench to the counsels for the Punjab Government and PUDA.
PUDA, along with its reply, had earlier enclosed a circular dated February 27 addressed by PUDA Chief Administrator directing the DCs to ensure implementation of notifications issued by the CGWA. It was also stated by PUDA that provision for rainwater harvesting had been made in Building Rules through a notification dated August 25, 2010.
While adjourning the PIL to April 25, the Bench directed to the respondents produce before the Bench a concrete action plan for enforcing the ban against the use of ground water for construction of buildings and other measures for checking the depleting level of water table.
LUDHIANA: Protest by  Punjab Agricultural University Students Association (PAUSA) members entered its 16th day on Thursday. Students continued with their chain hunger strike that entered its eighth day. The duration of the strike was increased from six to nine hours on Thursday. 
Punjab agriculture minister Sucha Singh Langah, who was scheduled to visit the university to attend a meeting of the kisan union, reportedly failed to do so, the students' protest reportedly playing on his mind. 
Dr PS Aulakh, who has joined as director student welfare, assured he would take up the cause of students with the authorities concerned. He said no teacher would like to see his students sitting on strike for a cause which was their right. The students pledged they would continue with the strike till their demands were met and they had written assurance in their hands. 
Roohi Thakur, Serena Sidhu, Jasmine Kaur, Ramandeep Kaur and Naina Dhiman sat on the hunger strike. 
The morale of the students received a boost when chief of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Rajjowal), Balbir Singh Rajjowal, addressed students at gate number 2 of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU). He said every department in Punjab was in a mess and agriculture in the state had remained neglected. 
Rajjowal said the state had over 15 lakh agricultural families suffering at the hands of Punjab government and its policies and nearly 2 lakh farmers had committed suicide till now. He added that minister of agriculture Sucha Singh Langah was handpicked by him for service of farmers and agriculture in the state, but Langah had turned a traitor and was pre-occupied with politicking. Bharatiya Kisan Union pledged full support to students of the university and said they will take up their cause with authorities concerned.