Shimla, Jan 8 (PTI) Villagers from Sirmaur and Solan districts of Himachal Pradesh have accused some educational institutions, hotels and industrial units of discharging effluents into the Shoolini Khud and submitted a memorandum to the Solan deputy commissioner, locals said on Thursday.
The residents from the Sirmaur district's Pachhad block and Solan district's Kotla Panchola panchayat have raised the issue and complained that the villages are being supplied "dirty water".
The Panchayati Raj representatives of these localities have submitted the memorandum and urged the deputy commissioner to take immediate action and ensure safe drinking water supply.
Solan Deputy Commissioner Manmohan Sharma on Thursday said the State Pollution Control Board had taken samples of the water, which failed (to fulfill the necessary criteria), and orders were issued to disconnect the power supply of the errant parties.
He said a committee is being constituted to examine the allegations pertaining to the discharge of effluents into the Shoolini Khud, which would submit the report within a week.
President of Kotla Panchola Panchayat, Hem Raj Kashyap, said villagers are facing the issue of unsafe water for past 18 to 20 days and alleged that a resin factory, nursing college and some hotels are regularly discharging effluents into the Khud.
The Khud, which is the main source of water for these villages, has been polluted, and the Jan Shakti Department has stopped the water supply, he said.
Kashyap said apart from villagers, the domestic animals are also suffering due to acute water shortage.
Another local leader, Sohan Lal, also urged the administration to take effective steps to check the discharge of effluents into the main source of water supply.