After NGT rap, MC to develop ‘No garbage stretch’ of Buddha nullah

Ludhiana: Having drawn flak from the committee constituted by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Ludhiana Municipal Corporation has decided to take up one stretch of Buddha Nullah for developing it in a lush green and clean space for the residents. The civic body has identified a 500-meter-long stretch near Chand Cinema bridge, on which there would be complete ban on throwing garbage inside the drain and the violators would be challaned. Though there is already a provision of challaning for throwing garbage inside the drain, MC officials have so far failed to take action against the erring residents.
A CCTV camera would also be installed to keep a watch over the stretch, which would be developed in the next 40 days. There would be extensive cleanliness drive and solid waste would be removed from the drain. Officials have also proposed to install mesh on the sides of drain to keep a check on people who throw garbage in the nullah.
Officials said the idea behind cleaning and maintaining a particular stretch was to show to the residents how they can keep the drain and its surroundings clean. In the month of July, plantation would also be done on the sides of drain. When contacted secretary MC JS Sekhon said they are working on the plan and it would be executed in the next few days.
Notably, along with liquid discharge coming from the industrial units as well as the domestic sewerage the solid waste has remained a major cause of concern for the officials. Notably the development comes almost a week after the visit of NGT committee members, who had come down heavily on the Municipal Corporation and Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) officials for alarming pollution in Buddha Nullah.