Environmentalist and Rajya Sabha member Balbir Singh Seechewal Monday termed Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's decision to scrap the proposed textile park project near Mattewara forest area in Ludhiana as “a victory of public and democracy” “It has happened for the first time that people raised concerns regarding environment and they all got united (against the proposed project). It is a victory of public. A victory of democracy,” said Seechewal. The Padma Shri awardee also gave credit to Mann, saying that the CM often talks about pollution and quotes Guru Nanak Dev too on the issue. “I am happy that he stood by his words. It is a people's government and when people don't want a project, why government should go ahead with it,” asked Seechewal, who has been elected to the Rajya Sabha as an Aam Aadmi Party nominee. The CM's announcement to scarp the project came days after he informed the Vidhan Sabha that 954.51 acres out of the required 1000 acres for the project mooted under the Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel Parks (PM MITRA) scheme has been acquired and the remaining land will be acquired soon. The project was envisaged by the previous Congress government in July 2020 and was opposed tooth and nail by Mann, who was then a Lok Sabha MP, and all the AAP MLAs. His remarks in Vidhan Sabha had left the activists shocked. On July 10, a protest was organised at the proposed site on call of Public Action Committee (PAC), an NGO spearheading the agitation against project. Though attended by a cross section of people, Seechewal gave the protest a miss. “Let's not get into the details that who opposed it first and later supported and now cancelled it. The important thing is that he (Mann) listened to public's voice. All's well that ends well,” he said. The environmentalist said that Punjab is already suffering a lot. “Ludhiana is 12th most polluted city in the world. Industry is needed but strict law is also needed. In the past rules were flouted so concern raised by people was genuine. I fail to understand as to why industry is planned near drains, canals. That's why the Buddha dariya became a polluted Buddha Nullah,” he said saying that the “pollution board, government, and administration were collectively responsible for the mess”. He said the next target is to get Buddha Nullah cleaned. “We have promised CM that he will bathe in this clean Nullah one day”. It may be mentioned that already a cycle valley on 100 acres of land has come up at Dhanansu village at a cost of Rs 380 crore. The project is not fully operational as yet. The cycle valley is located a distance of about 8 km from Mattewara forest range.
