Security beefed up amid stir demanding closure of CETPs in Ludhiana

Police security has been ramped up around the facilities after requests by members of the Punjab Dyers Association

Amid protests demanding the closure of two Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) at Tajpur Road, police security has been ramped up around the facilities after requests by members of the Punjab Dyers Association (PDA). The move comes after the “Kale Pani Da Morcha”, an activists group, supported by hundreds of local residents, announced plans to stage a demonstration and shut down the CETPs.

The move comes after the an activists group and locals announced plans to stage a demonstration and shut down the CETPs. (File)

Two days back, PDA conducted a conference where they highlighted that 1 lakh workers will stand outside their units against the action of activists and residents at Tajpur road.

Few weeks back, the activists of “Kale Pani Da Morcha” met residents of the 32 villages at Walipur to oppose the proposal of the Punjab government to use effluent of dyeing industry for irrigation in these areas. The villages strongly opposed any such move and announced to fight any such proposal. They also announced that more meetings will be held in the area in the coming days to form an organised team to oppose it..

Activists said the Punjab government, through the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), has ordered the closure of three illegal common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) run by the dyeing industry. These plants had been dumping untreated wastewater into the Buddha Dariya in violation of environmental laws and conditions set by the Union ministry of environment, forests, and climate change in 2013. The activists said that despite the violations, the plants had been operating under the government’s watch.

They claimed that according to official data, more than 10 crore litre toxic water is being discharged daily into the Buddha Dariya, which then merges with the Sutlej River, providing drinking water to people in Punjab and Rajasthan.

Recently, the retired officials have written a letter to the state government expressing concern over the rising pollution levels in Buddha Nullah, stating that immediate action is necessary to prevent further contamination. They criticised the delay of over a month in implementing PPCB orders, despite recommendations for timely action from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

In a recent report submitted by the officials of PPCB with proper analyses to deputy commissioner in the month of October where government bodies including the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), Punjab Biotechnology Incubator (PBTI) and the municipal corporation (MC) affirmed the findings of the preliminary report that had flagged high levels of pollution in the Buddha Nullah, officials aware of the matter said.

The report highlights a significant increase in pollutants, particularly chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biological oxygen demand (BOD), when dyeing industries were operational, as compared to the samples taken when they were shut. In August, a preliminary report had raised concerns over the high density of heavy metals in Buddha Nullah.