GHANAULI, OCT 2 — Environmental monitoring of the Sirsa River has revealed persistent pollution issues, with recent Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) laboratory results showing high bacterial counts and degraded water quality parameters.
The assessment, based on water samples drawn near Ghanauli in mid-August by the PPCB Zonal Laboratory, documented total coliform concentration at 1,30,000 MPN/100 ml and faecal coliform at 23,000 MPN/100 ml. The total coliform figures represent levels roughly 260 times higher than the prescribed threshold of 500 MPN/100 ml required for safe public bathing.
The findings led PPCB to downgrade the sampling site’s status to Class D under designated water-use standards. In addition to microbial contamination, the testing revealed elevated physical and chemical parameters, including a Biochemical Oxygen Demand of 5.4 mg/litre, suspended solids at 284 mg/litre, and turbidity levels reaching 182 NTU. The data highlights that remediation measures and water management frameworks implemented in the region have yet to deliver substantial improvements to the river’s ecological condition.
