Bhagwant Mann inaugurates two water treatment plants in Patiala
The Rs 432.65 crore project will supply clean canal water to 316 villages and 75,000 households.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday inaugurated two water treatment plants in the Ghanaour constituency of Patiala to provide clean canal water to over 4.5 lakh people. According to India Today, the project cost Rs 432.65 crore and aims to supply treated water to 316 villages across five Assembly constituencies.
The facilities, located at Mandoli and Pabri, have a combined daily treatment capacity of 69 million litres. A 752-kilometre pipeline network will distribute the water to Ghanaour, Rajpura, Sanour, Patiala Rural, and Shambu Kalan. The Mandoli plant cost Rs 266.20 crore, while the Pabri plant cost Rs 166.46 crore.
The infrastructure is designed to meet regional drinking water needs until 2049. Officials stated the project will address groundwater contamination involving heavy metals and fluoride. The government has identified excessive levels of aluminium, lead, sulphate, arsenic, and uranium in the groundwater of these villages.
Mann said the project would offer a permanent solution to contaminated water issues and serve as a lifeline for residents. He noted that the health of Punjabis is a top priority and expressed regret that these villages lacked safe water for decades after Independence.
The initiative addresses a groundwater crisis where Punjab extracts water at 156.36 per cent of its natural recharge capacity. In Patiala, extraction is 1.89 billion cubic metres (BCM) compared to an annual recharge of 1.01 BCM, with an exploitation level of approximately 208 per cent.