PPCB workshop on environment protection: Polluters are murderers of ecology, says NGT chief

Talking about the overflowing secondary garbage dumps situated at Kailash Nagar and Subhash Nagar here on the National Highway-44, National Green Tribunal (NGT) chairperson Adarsh Kumar Goel called polluters ‘murderers’ of the environment. 

Goel, who was in the city to participate in the first workshop on environment protection organised by the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) on Friday, said though he had asked police commissioner to see if legal action can be taken against the defaulters, everyone should come forward to deal with the problem.

“Solid waste management is a major concern across the country. A major part of the sewage is not being treated, while illegal sand mining is also affecting river ecology,” said Goel while addressing the workshop dedicated to the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak. 

‘Ludhiana worst’

Meanwhile, the chairman of the NGT monitoring committee for the Sutlej and the Beas, Justice Jasbir Singh, said, “Ludhiana is the worst in terms of pollution. People used to bathe in the Buddha Nullah but now, the nullah even pollutes the Sutlej. Research has shown that life expectancy has reduced by two years due to pollution.” 

“India has 3% area of the world but pumps 25% of the ground water. Punjab will run out of ground water in the next 25 years as people have failed to perform their duties,” said Singh. 

PPCB chairman SS Marwaha said environment issues were not a priority after independence. “NGT was formed as the departments were not able to work properly. The conditions are improving as the NGT has framed strict norms and policies,” he said. 

Work together

Chairman of NGT monitoring committee the Ghaggar river, Justice Pritampal Singh, said, “NGOs and the society should come forward for finding a solution to the problem. Tokyo, a city in Japan with a population of around 3.5 crore, does not throw a single piece of garbage into the water body which moves across it, but in Ludhiana, people throw garbage over the fence.” 

Former Delhi University pro vice-chancellor CR Babu said water scarcity is a major challenge across the globe, besides maintenance of sewage treatment plants (STPs) and effluent treatment plants (ETPs). “Constructed wetland technology should be adopted which is more efficient than STP and ETP,” said Babu. 

PAU vice-chancellor Baldev Singh Dhillon said, “Farmers should stop damaging the environment and soil by burning paddy straw and using fertilisers. They should go for diversification and cultivate crops which require less water.” 

Senior officials of PPCB, MC commissioner Kanwalpreet Kaur Brar and city councillors among others participated in the workshop. 

Plastic bottles raise eyebrows 

Councillor Mamta Ashu questioned the use of plastic bottles to serve water during the workshop. “The PPCB is spreading awareness against plastic use, but failed to practice what they preach. Also, nothing concrete was discussed regarding the Buddha Nullah which is a major challenge for the city,” said Ashu.