Oil Spillage in Sutlej, PPCB team collects samples
Megha Mann
Tribune News Service

Ropar, April 25
A team of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) collected eight water samples from four different points in and around the Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Power Plant at Ghanauli village.

Team members collected two samples each from type IV drainage in the thermal plant, Ghanauli drain, head waterworks, Ropar, and the point where water from the drain falls into the Sutlej.

Environmental engineer of the PPCB Karunesh Garg said the oil content in the water was definitely more than usual. “The spillage will have only localised effect, as the thermal plant employees managed to collect a large amount of heavy density furnace oil by obstructing its flow into the river,” he added.

He said the lab results of the samples would come in a week’s time. The Board might recommend to the Ropar thermal plant authorities to construct a guard tank and collect effluents in it before discharging them into the Ghanauli drain.

“In cases of emergency like this, undesirable effluents can be collected in this tank and removed or directed somewhere else, before being emptied into the drain,” he added.

Meanwhile, traces of the oil were found at various places in the Sirhind canal as well. Employees of the Ropar thermal plant today directed its employees to remove the traces of the oil found in the water body in order to minimise its effects. The Board has suffered losses to the tune of Rs 5 to 6 lakh.

The plant receives furnace oil from the Mathura refinery. Tonnes of heavy density furnace oil spilled on Friday, when a pipe carrying it burst in unit III of the thermal power plant. The spillage further entered into the nearby Sutlej and the Ropar international wetland.