Government to adopt zero tolerance on water pollution

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, June 19

State Environment Minister OP Singh on Tuesday said that 80 per cent of the city’s pollution was due to the Municipal Corporation (MC). He was here to interact with industrialists of the city on the issue of environment.

The minister said the department had decided to raise the issue of the non-functioning of sewerage treatment plants (STP) within the jurisdiction of the MC as the main source of water and air pollution. Local bodies across the state could play a key role in saving the environment, he added.

Earlier various industrial organisations handed over their memorandums to the minister, which the latter promised to take up with the Chief Minister.

He said he would reach out to the industrialists across the state to settle the environment-related issues, as the Punjab Government had decided to ensure the cleanliness of water resources on a priority basis.

Today at the meeting with industrialist associations from Jalandhar, which mainly comprised sports and leather segment, the minister told the industrialists to get their sewerage treatment plants (STPs) operational in the coming two months as after that, there would be zero tolerance policy against water pollution.

The minister said a joint high-level meeting would be held with the Industries Minister on June 21 at Punjab Bhawan, Chandigarh, to chalk out a comprehensive plan for the future course of action with the aim to saving the natural resources as well as encouraging the industry in Punjab.

He said he had also visited the “Buddha Nullah” in Ludhiana to assess the actual situation, besides instructing the PCCB and the Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana, to prepare an effective plan within 15 days to end the decade-long water pollution in the nullah.