Despite NGT order, treated effluents flow into Buddha Nullah

Flouting with impunity the ban imposed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), all three common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) continue to discharge 105 MLD effluent/treated water into the Buddha Nullah without any check.

Agitated over what they call a brazen violation of the federal green body’s order, environmentalists and civil society members have threatened direct action against the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) and the state government, for failing to check water pollution.

Clarifying on its previous order dated November 4, which was being misinterpreted by the enforcement agencies to allow the discharge of effluents, the NGT Principal Bench, in its fresh order pronounced on December 9, said, “There is a clear environmental clearance (EC) condition that there will be no discharge of effluent/treated water in the Buddha Nullah. The EC condition is binding.”

“We clarify that non-adherence to the specific condition of maintaining zero discharge is non-compliance with the environmental norms,” the NGT ordered.

Jaskirat Singh of Kale Pani Da Morcha, a civil society movement to save the Buddha Nullah from pollution, submitted before the NGT that the authorities were misinterpreting its order dated November 4 and were treating it to be a blanket stay permitting the STPs in question to discharge effluents into the Buddha Nullah.

The counsel for the appellant submitted that the PPCB has permitted such discharge into the Buddha Nullah, but he could not point out how the PPCB passed such an order contrary to the specified conditions.

On this, the NGT directed the PPCB Member Secretary to file an affidavit as to how contrary to the EC conditions such permission has been granted while posting the matter for December 23.

A visit to the three CETPs located at Tajpur Road, Industrial Focal Point and Bahadur Ke Road here on Tuesday revealed that the discharge of effluents and treated water into the Buddha Nullah was continuing unabatedly.

PPCB Chairman Adarsh Pal Vig said, “We are the regulators and are bound by the system for the compliance of directions given by the NGT or any other statutory body as our prime duty is to regulate the pollution and not to allow it.”

Deputy Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal said, “We have asked the PPCB to check on what conditions the operation of the CETPs was allowed and do the needful as per the same.”

Accusing the enforcement agencies of siding with the polluters, the Kale Pani Da Morcha has submitted a memorandum to the DC, seeking quick and effective implementation of the NGT and the PPCB orders.