‘Betrayed by state’: Activists to start campaign from Jan 1
The activists have announced a statewide campaign “Yatra for Rivers’ Health” from January 1 to April 14, 2025, to raise awareness and mobilise public support against the ongoing environmental crisis
The Kale Pani Da Morcha has accused the Punjab government of betraying the people of Punjab by failing to take action against industries polluting the state’s rivers, particularly the Sutlej river.
The activists, including leaders Jaskirat Singh, Amitoj Mann, and Lakha Singh Sidhana, have announced a statewide campaign “Yatra for Rivers’ Health” from January 1 to April 14, 2025, to raise awareness and mobilise public support against the ongoing environmental crisis.
The activists have alleged that the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has failed to take effective action against the polluting industries, particularly three common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) in the city, including the 15 MLD CETP at Bahadhur Ke Road.
The activists pointed to a letter allegedly written by the PPCB to the dyeing association on December 5, advising them to seek a stay order from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to protect their operations from further legal action. The PPCB reportedly assured the association that no punitive measures would be taken if such a stay was obtained, the activists claimed.
The activists have alleged that these CETPs discharge approximately 105 million litres of toxic chemical -laden water daily into the Sutlej river via the Buddha Nullah.
“This is clear collusion between the PPCB and the dyeing industry,” said Jaskirat Singh, one of the activists. “The government has not only failed to close the polluting CETPs but has actively protected the polluters, betraying the people of Punjab who are suffering from the toxic waste dumped into their rivers.”
A recent NGT hearing on December 9, where the tribunal reprimanded the PPCB for misinterpreting previous orders. The NGT clarified that no stay orders had been granted for the Tajpur Road or Focal Point CETPs and explicitly ruled that no such stays would be issued for the Bahadhur Ke Road CETP.
The tribunal also advanced its next hearing date from March 20, 2025, to December 23, 2024, which the morcha activists see as a significant setback for the state government and the dyeing association.
In response to the government’s failure to act, the Morcha is calling on residents of Ludhiana and other cities to make the issue of pollution in the Buddha Nullah a central theme in the upcoming municipal elections.
The activists have urged voters to question the ruling party candidates about their inaction on the river pollution crisis.
“The government has broken its promises to the people of Punjab. It is a betrayal that the citizens will not forget,” said Jaskirat Singh. “We will not rest until we see action taken to clean our rivers and hold the polluting industries accountable.”
The campaign called as the “Flow Movement,” will kick off in January 2025 and aims to visit every village and town across the state to educate residents about the deteriorating health of Punjab’s rivers. The movement will also seek public support to pressure the state government into taking immediate action to address industrial pollution.
The activists also expressed solidarity with the ongoing farmers’ movement in Punjab and prayed for the speedy recovery of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal.
