Organisations and activists from Punjab, Rajasthan, and Haryana gathered for the ‘Kala Pani Morcha’ against the continued pollution of the Buddha Nullah. The protest march took place on Saturday, starting from the Verka milk plant and ending at the statue of Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha at Bhai Bala Chowk.
Participants in the protest included the Public Action Committee, Naroa Punjab Manch, Lakha Sidhana, and various farmer unions from different states. They marched to express their anger against the government for not acting against the dumping of industrial waste into the Nullah. Thousands of people gathered to protest the polluted Buddha Nullah, voicing their concerns over not following the government’s decision that sewage treatment plants (STP) and common effluent treatment plants (CETP) will not handle industrial waste. They also criticised the government for ignoring directives from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to address the issue.
Activist Kuldeep Singh Khaira said, “Water is a basic necessity for life. Our Gurus have honoured it by comparing it to a father, showing its importance in nurturing and sustaining all living beings.”
He further added that the constitution of India grants every citizen the right to life, which includes the right to clean water and air. For the past 40 years, Punjab’s rivers and groundwater have been polluted with toxic waste. As a result, people are forced to consume contaminated water, leading to widespread cases of cancer, hepatitis C, and other serious diseases. Khaira described this situation as a deliberate act of harm against the people of Punjab, enabled by the government’s negligence.
{{/usCountry}}He further added that the constitution of India grants every citizen the right to life, which includes the right to clean water and air. For the past 40 years, Punjab’s rivers and groundwater have been polluted with toxic waste. As a result, people are forced to consume contaminated water, leading to widespread cases of cancer, hepatitis C, and other serious diseases. Khaira described this situation as a deliberate act of harm against the people of Punjab, enabled by the government’s negligence.
{{/usCountry}}Jaskirat Singh, another activist, stated that the current political party in power had frequently raised this issue before coming to power, but their silence now is both surprising and disappointing. He said that the people of Punjab are demanding freedom from this toxic black water and have shown through this protest that they will achieve it, whether the government acts or not.
Activists pointed out that the government has failed to act against the industries polluting the water or to deal with corrupt officials in the Punjab Pollution Control Board, who have become like a mafia.
While concluding the protest at Bhai Bala Chowk, they warned that if the government does not shut down illegal industries and take concrete steps to stop the pollution of the Sutlej and other rivers within the next two weeks, they will have no choice but to take matters into their own hands after September 15. Full responsibility for the consequences will fall on the Punjab government. The Kala Pani Morcha team, in consultation with all supporting organisations, will plan the next steps accordingly.