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Another year, another crore: Ludhiana MC to start cleaning Buddha Nullah soon

Hindustan Times, Ludhiana | By, Ludhiana
Apr 03, 2017 12:28 PM IST

Another year, another crore will go towards desilting the Buddha Nullah. The Ludhiana MC cleared a budget of Rs 1,316 crore for the financial year 2017-18 on Saturday, of which Rs 1 crore was allotted to cleaning the drain into which solid waste, untreated sewage and industrial waste are dumped daily.

Another year, another crore will go towards desilting the Buddha Nullah. The Ludhiana MC cleared a budget of Rs 1,316 crore for the financial year 2017-18 on Saturday, of which Rs 1 crore was allotted to cleaning the drain into which solid waste, untreated sewage and industrial waste are dumped daily.

Around two­and­a­half years ago, the government assigned Engineers India Limited to prepare a DPR to make Buddha Nullah pollution free. The project is yet to see light of day.(Jagtinder Singh Grewal/HT Photo)
Around two­and­a­half years ago, the government assigned Engineers India Limited to prepare a DPR to make Buddha Nullah pollution free. The project is yet to see light of day.(Jagtinder Singh Grewal/HT Photo)

The municipal corporation is likely to start desilting and cleaning the Buddha Nullah next week onwards and aims at completing the work before the onset of the rainy season.

The MC has put aside 67% of the budget for development works alone. However, despite spending crores on cleaning the Buddha Nullah in the past, the civic body has failed to stop industries from releasing untreated waste into the drain that meets Sutlej River near Walipur village in Ludhiana district .

Executive engineer Nachhatar Singh said, “We will start cleaning the Buddha Nullah next week onwards. The irrigation department will conduct the desilting work with four machines while the civic body will bear the expenditure.”

“It is difficult to stop people from throwing solid waste into the nullah. However, we hope that the desilting work will be completed before the onset of the rainy season this year,” he added.

The blocked drain tends to overflow onto city streets during the monsoon. Besides, it remained a burning political issue during the Vidhan Sabha elections this year with many party candidates putting the cleaning of the drain in their ‘to-do’ lists.

“Every year, the nullah overflows at different places and dirty water enters residential areas. The MC should take measures to stop dumping of solid and industrial waste into the drain. We live close to the nullah and it is difficult to even breathe in this area,” said Surinder Sharma, a resident of Peeru Banda area in Salem Tabri.

The project to make the Buddha Nullah pollution-free is hanging fire for a number of years now. Around two and half years ago, the state government had assigned the task to Engineers India Limited (EIL) to prepare a detailed project report (DPR). However, the project is yet to see the light of day.

RESIDENT SPEAK

Every year, the nullah overflows at different places and dirty water enters residential areas. The MC should take measures to stop dumping of solid and industrial waste into the drain. We live close to the nullah and it is difficult to even breathe in this area. Surinder Sharma, Salem Tabri resident

OFFICIAL SPEAK

The irrigation department will conduct the desilting work with four machines while the civic body will bear the expenditure. It is difficult to stop people from throwing solid waste into the nullah. However, we hope that the desilting work will be completed before the onset of the rainy season this year. Nachhatar Singh, executive engineer, MC

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