Ludhiana: Despite the ban imposed by the Pollution Board, the flow of pollution in the Buddha drain did not stop

Punjab: The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has ordered the immediate stoppage of treated wastewater from three Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) into Budh Nallah, a tributary of the Sutlej. These orders were issued on September 25 following directions from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and imposition of a fine of Rs 2.77 crore on the special purpose vehicles (SPVs) operating the three CETPs. Despite the direction, pollution continues to prevail in the Sutlej tributary, and wastewater is still being released into the waterway. The PPCB action comes ahead of the October 1 deadline set by civil society group, Kale Paani Da Morcha, which has threatened to forcibly stop the wastewater flow if action is not taken. PPCB chairman Adarsh ​​Pal Vig confirmed that the orders were issued after hearing all concerned stakeholders. However, during a site visit, it was found that wastewater discharge into Budh Nallah was still continuing. Local PPCB officials said they would seek further directions to potentially seal the dyeing units discharging their effluent into the CETPs. This situation threatens the future of over 200 dyeing units that send their effluent to these treatment plants. Environmentalist Col Jasjit Gill (retired) pointed out that unless these dyeing units are shut down, the order to stop the discharge of 105 million litres per day (MLD) of treated effluent into the Sutlej tributary would be ineffective. He called for withdrawal of operational consent for the 205 dyeing units connected to these CETPs. Jaskirat Singh, representing Kaale Paani Da Morcha, welcomed the development but stressed the need for strict enforcement. He confirmed that treated effluent was still flowing into the Budh Nullah till the evening of the order.

Earlier, on August 12, CPCB member secretary Bharat Kumar Sharma highlighted the findings of the April 2 inspection of the Budh Nullah and the Sutlej. Water quality parameters were found to be non-compliant with environmental standards, showing high levels of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total suspended solids (TSS). Comparative analysis between 2022 and 2024 revealed worsening levels of pollution. Further inspections conducted on April 22 and 23 found that only one (zero-liquid discharge plant) out of four CETPs in Ludhiana met compliance standards, while others exceeded discharge limits. The CPCB directed the PPCB to stop treated effluent discharge from non-compliant CETPs and ensure that they comply with prescribed environmental standards. Additionally, the PPCB was tasked to impose environmental compensation and ensure proper treatment to meet the required discharge standards. However, despite these actions, pollution of Budhha Nallah and Sutlej remains a serious environmental issue.