Ludhiana Buddha Nala became the center of controversy yet again after hundreds of protestors reached Punjab demanding the closure of industrial units that are polluting Ludhiana's Buddha Nala. The protest was called by social worker Lakha Sidhana.
Under the Kala Paani The Morcha organization around 1500 people from Rajasthan reached Ludhiana in Punjab on Tuesday. The protestors alleged that the dirt and black chemical water in Ludhiana's Buddha Nala gets mixed in Sutlej and later reaches Rajasthan. After drinking the water, hundreds of people in Rajasthan have fallen ill.
While the local administration and the protestors reached a consensus, the issue of Ludhiana Buddha Nala is far from over. Below is a breakdown on how the controversy around Ludhiana's Buddha Nala has developed over the years.
Ludhiana Buddha Nala Controversy Explained
Punjab's river Sutlej's quality is deteriorating and Ludhiana's Buddha Nala is one of the major factors contributing to it. Buddha Nala is a 14-km stream that runs through the city. The Buddha Nala is also started to be infamously known as 'black water' due to its colour. As per FirstPost, Ludhiana Buddha Nala picks up toxic waste in massive quantities and around 200 MLD of untreated sewage a day, in its passage through the city before dumping it all in the Sutlej.
Sutlej flows through Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, covering a distance of 1,450 kilometers, before crossing over to Pakistan. Sutlej has been the main source of water for irrigation and drinking purposes in its 440-km journey through Punjab.
As per the report, Sutlej had brought prosperity to the districts of Rupnagar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, and Ferozepur. But the massive inflow of untreated sewage and industrial waste into the river in recent years courtesy of Buddha Nala has now turned it into a source of disease.
The report quoted KS Pannu, Punjab’s Director of Environment and Climate Change, who informed that the Buddha Nala accounts for 90 percent of the pollution in Sutlej river. The infected water is further distributed through canals for irrigation in the entire Malwa region of the state and parts of Rajasthan.
Hence, it can be understood why hundreds of people from Rajasthan came to Punjab demanding the closure of the Buddha Nala.
What's polluting Ludhiana's Buddha Nala?
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in August this year filed its reply to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) pinning the blame for extreme water pollution in Ludhiana Buddha Nala on the alleged dumping of toxic discharge by dyeing units.
The CPCB in its reply alleged that three Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) in the city have been found non-complying with environmental norms, exceeding the discharge standards, and dumping waste into the Nala.
The CPCB also directed the PPCB to stop the discharge of treated effluents from these CETPs into Buddha Nala.
The PPCB had clearly directed the three CETPs located at Tajpur Road, Bahadurke Road, and Focal Point in Ludhiana to stop the discharge of treated water into the Buddha Nala or Nala.
The PPCB also issued multiple notices to ensure that one of the plants with 50 million litres per day capacity at Focal Point meets the provisions of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act. PPCB further informed the NGT that it has already imposed an environment compensation (EC) of at least Rs 2.77 crore on the three non-complying plants.
What's present in Ludhiana's Buddha Nala?
As per the report, a Punjab Agriculture University study found the presence of harmful materials like mercury, cadmium, chromium, copper, and other carcinogens in vegetables and crops grown in villages along the length of the Nala. After its water gets mixed with Sutlej, the river’s water attains Class E status in terms of pollution. It means the water is not fit for any use and does not sustain any aquatic life.
What the dyeing industry is saying about Buddha Nala issue?
After a major protest in Punjab on December 3, a report of the closure of the CETP plant came to light, after which the protest was removed. But late at night, Punjab Dyeing Association Director Kamal Chauhan released a video. Chauhan said that false news of the closure of the CETP plant is being spread. No CETP plant will be closed. They have a stay order from NGT.
Kamal Chauhan said that the date in this case was on 2 December 2024. According to Chauhan, Kala Pani Morcha members Kapil Arora and Jaskirat Singh were also present on this date. The stay of the dyeing industry has been extended till 20 March 2025. Due to this, no STP plant will be closed now.
What are the steps taken by the Punjab Government?
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann in September 2024 announced a three-phase multi-pronged programme to clean the Buddha Nala in Ludhiana on mission mode. Punjab CM revealed that the campaign will be started in collaboration with the Nebula group and aims at cleaning Buddha Nallah in Ludhiana to remove impurities that cause cancer, with Nebula Ozonation technology at the nano level.
He said the target will be to reduce the total dissolved solids (TDS) level of water to below 100, making it fit for drinking. The CM lauded the group’s expertise in dealing with the problem of water pollution.