Ludhiana’s Buddha Nullah pollution: Minister, MP review pumping station installation work

Local bodies minister Ravjot Singh, along with Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Singh Seechewal, inspected the ongoing works to establish a temporary pumping station near the gaushala point of the Buddha Nullah on Thursday.

Deputy commissioner (DC) Jitendra Jorwal, MC commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal, ADC Rohit Gupta, MC additional commissioner Paramdeep Singh among other officials of the civic body and the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) were present during the inspection.

The temporary pumping station is being established under the ‘kar seva’ initiated by MP Seechewal to clean the drain. The aim is to pump the sewage from the gaushala point to the Jamalpur sewage treatment plant (STP) until a permanent intermediate pumping station is established at the gaushala site.

The project to establish the gaushala pumping station is pending due to an ongoing court case. During the visit, cabinet minister Dr Ravjot Singh also deliberated upon the steps which can be taken to speed up the process.

Further, the minister issued necessary directions to the officials of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) and the civic body to take steps to ensure that cow dung and industrial waste is not dumped in the Buddha Nullah. Dr Singh also directed the concerned officials to expedite the work of establishing biogas plants in Haibowal and Tajpur road dairy complexes. Cow dung would then be used for generating biogas in these plants. Until then, the officials have been directed to ensure temporary arrangements for lifting of cow dung from dairy units and dumping the same at designated points.

The cabinet minister lauded the steps being taken under the ‘kar seva’ initiated by MP Seechewal. Singh said establishment of this temporary pumping station would certainly help in reducing pollution in the waterbody as the domestic waste (sewerage) would be properly treated at the Jamalpur STP before getting into the Nullah.

Singh said that all necessary steps are being taken to reduce pollution in the Buddha Nullah and strict directions have been issued to the concerned departments regarding the same.