The North News
Nangal/Chandigarh, October 10
In a major step to end the long-standing drinking water crisis in Nangal, Harjot Singh Bains, Punjab’s Education Minister, announced a ₹16 crore piped water project to supply clean drinking water from the Sutlej River to every household in the town. The project is expected to be completed within 18 months.
Bains said tenders have already been floated for the scheme, which will include the construction of two new water treatment plants and the expansion of existing facilities to 4 MLD capacity. “It’s ironic that Nangal, where the Sutlej begins its journey through Punjab, has faced water scarcity for so long,” he remarked.
For decades, residents of Nangal have battled water shortages and contamination from polluted groundwater. Previous attempts by the Municipal Council to drill borewells failed to provide safe, sustainable water.
Bains underlined that the new system will source clean water directly from the Sutlej, eliminating the risk of industrial pollution in local aquifers. He congratulated the people of Nangal, calling clean water their “right, not a privilege.”
The minister credited Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government for prioritising long-term solutions to the town’s water problems over the past 18 months. The project aims to improve public health, enhance quality of life and ensure reliable access to safe drinking water.
