E-Paper
Ludhiana: Officials pulled up over Buddha Nullah cleanup
The meeting was jointly chaired by Rajya Sabha member Balbir Singh Seechewal and local government minister Ravjot Singh
A review meeting on cleaning Buddha Nullah turned tense on Friday as public representatives criticised the Punjab Sewerage Board and the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) for alleged negligence and delays.
The meeting was jointly chaired by Rajya Sabha member Balbir Singh Seechewal and local government minister Ravjot Singh. Both leaders reviewed the progress of ongoing projects aimed at reducing pollution in the Buddha Nullah, one of the state’s most polluted water channels.
MLAs raise serious concerns
MLAs Daljit Singh Grewal and Pappi Parashar, along with mayor Inderjit Kaur, made a strong appeal to the minister, saying that the careless attitude of senior officials of the Sewerage Board was damaging the image of the Punjab government. They said that despite repeated directions, untreated waste continues to enter the nullah, causing severe environmental harm.
Minister Ravjot Singh took serious note of the complaints and immediately summoned the executive engineer of the Sewerage Board and the supervising engineer of PPCB to Chandigarh for explanation.
During the meeting, MLA Pappi Parashar stunned the officials by producing a file showing how a dyeing unit had allegedly been polluting Buddha Nullah for the past 25 years with the connivance of some officers. He claimed that the unit had constructed its facility right above a 74-inch sewer line and was releasing untreated effluents into the system without any action from the pollution authorities.
MLA Daljit Singh Grewal said strict action against erring officials was the only way forward. Without accountability, he said, no real improvement in Buddha Nullah would be possible.
Seechewal stressed that cleaning Buddha Nullah required honest implementation of projects and strict monitoring. He said the public had lost patience and expected immediate results. The minister assured that the government would not spare any officer found responsible for negligence.
The meeting saw focus on the functioning of sewage treatment plants (STPs) and effluent treatment plants (ETPs). The minister issued strict directions to officials of the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB), municipal corporation (MC), and the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), warning that any lapse in operating STPs or ETPs would invite stern departmental action.
Both Ravjot Singh and MP Seechewal directed the civic body and PPCB to take immediate action to stop the dumping of cow dung and untreated industrial waste into Buddha Nullah. They said violators must be dealt with firmly, as pollution from dairies and industries remains one of the key challenges in improving water quality.
