Any violation will be dealt with strictly, says DC

Activists under the banner of Kale Pani da Morcha, a campaign initiated to clean the Buddha Nullah by social organisations, had threatened to block the polluted water flow from CETPs on December 3.

Deputy Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal has said any kind of violation on December 3 will be dealt with strictly. The administration has asked the Municipal Corporation and the police department to monitor the issue and no violation will be allowed on that day. At the same time, many farmer organisations have extended full support to the campaign of ‘Kale Pani Da Morcha’ and stated that they would reach Ludhiana to be with the activists who are trying to save the Buddha Nullah from pollution.

Farmers, including Jagjit Singh Dallewal, Surjit Singh Phul, Dilbagh Singh Gill and Manjit Singh Paner, have extended support to the campaign and have assured to stand with the activists,” said Kuldip Singh Khaira, an activist. Khaira and another activist Jaskirat Singh said they were adamant on their stand. When agencies such as the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) have issued notices to shut down dyeing units and why the state government was not taking action in this regard?

“The dyeing units claimed that the NGT has provided relief, but it’s misinformed. The fact is that NGT passed the order, subject to environment clearance, which was never given. We are fighting the battle for the masses and there has been no vested interests. We will stop discharge from CETPs on December 3,” said Khaira.

At the same time, the Dyeing Association has termed the morcha activists as ‘blackmailers’ and said nobody could take law in their hands. Dyeing unit owners said the campaign was aimed at extracting money from the dyeing factory owners for vested interests, which would not be allowed.

The activists had given the deadline of December 3 to stop discharge from the CETPs installed by the dyeing industry to provide relief to the masses from the poisonous water of the Buddha Nullah. Worried, the dyeing industry met police officials to provide security personnel near the plants on December 3.

Members of the Punjab Dyers Association (PDA), including Ashok Makkar, Bobby Jindal, Kamal Chauhan and Kamal Verma, met ADCP-4 Aman Brar and other police officials in this regard.

Jindal said: “The police have provided security of around 15-20 personnel near the CETPs on Sunday to avoid any untoward incident. We are going as per the government orders and the activists could not take law in their hands. We are also worried over pollution in the nullah but why should we alone be held responsible for the entire mess? There are other industries, domestic users and dairy complex owners who are also putting the discharge directly into the nullah through MC sewerage lines.” The activists and dyers are at loggerheads over stopping the discharge of the CETPs.