Ludhiana: Filled with Buddha Nullah water, AAP to ‘gift’ bottles to MLAs, MPs

Symbolic protest: Demand special session of the Vidhan Sabha over pollution of water bodies.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders on Wednesday launched a state-wide campaign against the state government for failing to save water bodies in the state and as part of it, they filled over 130 bottles with dirty water of the Buddha Nullah at Gaunspur village near Hambran in Ludhiana.

Aam Aadmi Party workers filling bottles with water from Budha Nullah at Gaunspur village in Ludhiana on Wednesday. The bottles were carried in a special vehicle (below) from the nullah.(HT Photo)

AAP leaders, led by state co-president Balbir Singh, said they will start their campaign by presenting a bottle of the dirty water to chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh in Chandigarh. “The AAP leaders will carry the bottles with dirty water and carry hand them over to all 117 MLAs of the state assembly, 13 Lok Sabha MPs and 7 Rajya Sabha MPs from Punjab,” Singh said.

The bottles were carried in a special vehicle from the nullah. (HT Photo)

He added that each bottle has on it the name of the legislator and the MP. During their protest, the AAP leaders said the CM and his officials should also taste the water. They also demanded a special session in Vidhan Sabha over pollution of water bodies.

“Successive governments in the state have failed to pay heed to the problem of pollution of water bodies, which is contaminating groundwater and spreading diseases,” Singh said.

He claimed that pollution was not limited to only Buddha Nullah, but Beas, Sutlej were also being polluted by the industries and waste. “People are dying due to water-borne diseases, but the government is in deep slumber,” he added.

Deputy leader in the Vidhan Sabha, Sarvjit Kaur Manuke, said the government rather than taking action against industries responsible for polluting water bodies, was on their side. “Now when the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has also taken note of the issue on the complaint of leader of Opposition Sukhpal Singh Khaira, the AAP leaders will move in the state to spread awareness among residents,” Manuke said.

The village residents, who had gathered at the spot, claimed that around four decades back, people used to drink water from the Buddha Darya, which is now known as Buddha Nullah.