‘Brazenly playing with lives of people’: Police complaint filed against PPCB officials for Buddha Nullah pollution; activists seek immediate FIR

The team led by Jaskirat Singh, Kuldeep Singh Khaira, Amandeep Bains and Kapil Dev, submitted the complaint to Ludhiana police commissioner Kuldeep Singh Chahal and mentioned that the senior PPCB officials should be booked under the several sections of Environment (Protection) Act, Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act and other sections of Bhartiya Nyaya Sahnita (BNS) for “brazenly playing with the lives of common people”.

They also submitted to the police a copy of the letter which was produced by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) recently.

The CPCB letter dated August 12 addressed to the PPCB had stated that the inspection of Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) installed in Ludhiana to treat dyeing industry discharge were found “non-complying” with prescribed standards after physical verification and the PPCB was given 15 days to act against them. The CPCB had further written to the PPCB asking to take appropriate action, including imposing environmental compensation and to stop discharge of treated effluents into Buddha Nullah, till the prescribed standards were met.

“Three CETPs were made operational in Ludhiana in 2022 to treat waste from dyeing industry and they are being run through Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) comprising representatives from dyeing industry and private companies. But they are not working properly. In a letter dated August 12, the CPCB had written to the PPCB member secretary to stop these plants from dumping water into Buddha Dariya and had given 15 days to take action. The deadline ended on August 26 but the dumping of toxins into the Dariya continues unabated and it is being done by dyeing industries and private companies managing the plants in connivance with PPCB officials including Majithia and Gupta. So, an FIR under cognizable sections be registered against them,” reads the complaint, also submitted to the SHO of Tibba police station.

The complaint further states that the FIR should be registered under the sections 24 and 25 of Water (Control and Prevention of pollution) Act, sections 16 and 17 of Environment (Protection) Act 1986 and 110,198, 270, 271, 272, 293 of BNS.

The CETPs inspected by the CPCB team are 40 MLD near Central Jail, Tajpur Road (Focal Point Module), 50 MLD Tajpur-Rahon Road Cluster, 15 MLD Bahadurke Road and 500 KLD, Phase-VIII Focal Point. Except the 500 KLD plant, all others were found functioning in non-compliance with environmental norms, stated the CPCB report.

The PPCB in its reply to the NGT had earlier stated that it has already imposed an EC of at least Rs 2.77 crore on the three non-complying plants.

The the Kale Pani Da Morcha, which recently held a massive rally in Ludhiana to mobilise people against water pollution, has given an ultimatum to authorities that they will be installing barricades on Buddha Dariya and stop its flow into Sutlej if there is no action by September 15.

Originating at Koom Kalan village of Ludhiana and running for 47 kms till Walipur Kalan where it merges with Sutlej river, the stream carrying fresh water was earlier called Buddha Dariya. Over the years, the name changed to Buddha Nullah owing to the untreated sewage, industrial and domestic waste that is dumped into the 14-km stretch when it passes through Ludhiana city. The waters of Buddha Nullah are allegedly causing cancer, skin diseases and other ailments among people who consume it.