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Onus on officials to fulfil Punjab CM’s dream of bathing in Buddha Nullah: NGT monitoring panel to officials
Justice Jasbir Singh (retired), chairman of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) monitoring committee, said during a meeting in Ludhiana that Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann wishes to take a bath in Buddha Nullah and it is the responsibility of officials to fulfil his wish
“Chief minister Bhagwant Mann wishes to take a bath in Buddha Nullah and the administration has enough funds ( ₹650 crore) for rejuvenation of the toxic vein. Now, the onus is on you (authorities) to fulfil the CM’s wish,” said Justice Jasbir Singh (retired), chairman of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) monitoring committee, during a special meeting held at Bachat Bhawan to review progress of the environmental plan for Ludhiana district .Environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal also said that CM has expressed his desire to bathe in the Buddha Nullah and then pay obeisance at Gurdwara Gau Ghat, where the first Sikh guru, Guru Nanak Dev, had stayed.
Justive Jasbir Singh also directed the staff to operationalise the modern and scientific carcass disposal plant at Noorpur Bet within a week. He directed officials to spread awareness among the residents of the village who are opposing the project that the carcass plant will not cause any pollution in the vicinity.
The meeting was also attended by committee member Subodh Agarwal, retired chief secretary of the state and environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal, deputy commissioner Surabhi Malik and municipal commissioner Shena Aggarwal.
Seechewal went a step further in his scathing remarks against the industry.
“Guru Nanak Dev had visited the city during his lifetime and brought a lot of luck for its residents. The industry in the city flourished and industrialists made a lot of money and earned fame. But unfortunately, they offered nothing to the city in return and used it as a garbage pit and left it in neglect,” said Seechewal.
Justice Singh directed the civic authorities to find a location and set-up two biodiversity parks in the city within a set deadline.
Deputy commissioner Surabhi Malik said during a meeting with CM Bhagwant Mann on Monday, it was discussed that a portion of the land allocated for the scrapped textile park project near Mattewara forest can be developed into a biodiversity park.
Member secretary of PPCB, Karunesh Garg, said that on the directions of NGTd, PPCB has imposed a total fine of ₹8.15 crore on Ludhiana MC, including ₹4 crore for not complying with solid waste management guidelines and ₹4.15 crore for pollution in Buddha Nullah.
The justice also pulled up Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) for doing little to curb pollution being caused by industrial units. He directed the PPCB officials not to rely on gadgets installed in factories and dyeing units to monitor pollution and conduct physical inspections instead.
The NGT monitoring committee also expressed concern over excessive use of water for domestic consumption.
On average, 134 litres of water are allotted per person per day in India. But, in Punjab, and especially Ludhiana, 200 litres of water are being used by each person daily on an average.
Management of e-waste and bio-medical waste was also discussed in detail.
Justice Singh also stressed on the need to segregate wet and dry waste and made it clear that strict legal action will be taken against officials found not complying with orders.
