Kumari Selja raises alarm over deteriorating drinking water quality in Haryana, demands immediate govt action

General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee and Sirsa MP Kumari Selja has expressed deep concern over the continuously deteriorating quality of drinking water in Haryana and demanded immediate and concrete action from the government.

In a statement, Kumari Selja said that according to reports from different parts of the state, people in many districts, towns, and colonies of Haryana are deprived of clean drinking water even during the harsh winter season and are being forced to consume contaminated water.

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She stated that in several areas, water samples have revealed Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), fluoride, nitrate, and other harmful chemical elements far above the prescribed standards. In many places, water with TDS levels ranging from 600 to 1300 is being supplied, posing a serious threat to public health. Drinking water at public places, waterworks, and residential areas is often unfit for consumption, yet the departments concerned appear to be evading responsibility by shifting blame onto one another, she said.

Expressing concern over contaminated water in villages along the Ghaggar belt in Sirsa district, the MP said that groundwater in villages located along the Ghaggar River is also not potable. Chemical-laden water flowing in the Ghaggar has contaminated groundwater, and this polluted water is contributing to the rise in cancer cases.

Kumari Selja further said that due to contaminated drinking water, diseases related to the stomach, bones, kidneys, and skin are continuously increasing among children, women, and the elderly. Long-term consumption of fluoride- and nitrate-contaminated water leads to severe and permanent health problems. Despite this alarming situation, the government has neither established an effective and permanent water purification system nor ensured alternative supplies of clean drinking water in the affected areas.

She said that for years, claims have been made about providing safe drinking water across the state, but the ground reality remains unchanged. In both rural and urban areas, people are forced to depend on water tankers and private sources, placing an additional financial burden on common citizens. This clearly reflects the serious negligence of the government and the administration.

Kumari Selja demanded that the government immediately ensure the supply of clean drinking water in all affected areas, conduct regular testing of waterworks, tube wells, and public water sources, and provide alternative safe water supplies wherever water fails to meet quality standards. She also demanded that accountability be fixed for the officials and departments responsible for this serious issue so that the people of Haryana can be assured of their fundamental right to clean and safe drinking water.