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Ludhiana: Sutlej choked with garbage heaps as Chhath Puja nears
Environmental volunteers have alleged that the authorities have turned a blind eye to the open dumping of religious materials, plastic items, and domestic garbage along the riverbanks
Even as the city gears up for Chhath Puja celebrations after Diwali, heaps of garbage and religious waste continue to choke the Sutlej river near Ladhowal and Sidhwan Canal. The district administration has failed to check the growing pollution, with no challan issued so far by the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) or the Irrigation Department against those throwing waste into the water bodies.
Environmental volunteers have alleged that the authorities have turned a blind eye to the open dumping of religious materials, plastic items, and domestic garbage along the riverbanks. The situation has worsened ahead of Chhath Puja, when thousands of devotees are expected to gather at the Sutlej bridge for rituals.
According to Manjeet Singh, founder of Punjab Water Warriors Team, several representations were made to the deputy commissioners of Ludhiana and Jalandhar, PPCB, and the irrigation department, but no concrete action has been taken. “We have been cleaning the river stretch at Ladhowal for more than a year. Every festival, people immerse idols, chunnis, and plastic offerings, but no one from the administration intervenes,” he said.
He alleged that despite the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) repeated directions to the Ludhiana municipal corporation for waste management under the Buddha Nullah and Sutlej Action Plan, the situation remains unchanged. “The action plan exists only on paper. The pollution load on Sutlej is rising and no accountability is being fixed,” said Manjeet.
Environmentalists have also warned that such unchecked dumping is severely damaging aquatic life and reducing the water quality. The polluted water, which flows downstream to Abohar and Fazilka, is unsafe for drinking and irrigation purposes.
Volunteers said the situation worsens during the festival season, when tonnes of waste are thrown into the river and canal in the name of rituals. “This is not just an environmental issue but a public health concern. Authorities need to strictly enforce the ban on waste dumping,” said Manjeet.
Additional deputy commissioner Rakesh Kumar said, “I will direct the officials concerned to take strict action and do not allow the fair to organise without any permission along Satluj river.”
Stalls for Chhath Puja fair being sold without permission
Even as the “Chhath Puja Maha Utsav 2025” has been announced to be held near the Sutlej bridge in Ludhiana, sources have revealed that stalls for the fair are being sold without any official permission from the district administration or MC. Posters circulating on social media mention contact numbers for stall bookings and the sale of space for food, handicraft, and entertainment stalls.
However, district administration officials said no formal permission had been issued for setting up such a fair at the riverfront. Despite this, advertisements continue to appear openly, raising concerns about crowd management, safety, and possible encroachment on the riverbed area.
Residents and activists have demanded immediate action against those selling stalls illegally and urged the administration to not regulate such events to prevent further damage to the river’s ecosystem.
