Now or never! Most opportune time to clean up Buddha Nullah

TNN | Apr 24, 2020, 07:10 IST

Ludhiana: As the flow of industrial effluents into the Buddha Nullah has stopped following the closure of industries due to the lockdown, city residents and a section of experts believe it is high time for the authorities to clean the drain.
Importantly, the state government had announced Rs 650 crore for rejuvenation and cleaning of Buddha Nullah during its budget held in February.
In the absence of effluents, heaps of solid waste could be seen on the surface of the drain at several places. Dragline machines which had been used for cleaning the drain in the past are lying unused at several locations as the civic officials claim that they are awaiting sanction from drainage department to operate the machines.
Superintending engineer of operation and maintenance cell Rajinder Singh said, “We cannot use the machines unless we get permission from the drainage department. We have started cleaning at crucial points.”
On machines lying unused, he said as machines belong to Jalandhar division, the movement of these vehicles involves heavy transportation cost, so the drainage department park these machines here only.
Krishan Kant Sharma, a resident of Haibowal, said, “If civic body could not utilise lockdown, they will never get an opportunity to clean the drain from inside in the future. This is high time to start work as the industry is closed and the flow of water is down.”
Mohinder Aggarwal, a resident from Kapil Park, said heaps of solid waste should be cleared as soon as possible without caring for the sanction from the drainage department.
MC spends over a crore for annual cleaning of drain
The civic body spends hefty amount every year just to clear garbage from inside the drain before a rainy season and gives Rs 1 crore to the drainage department for the cleaning. This year, the annual cleaning budget was fixed at Rs 2 crore. Though the civic body had planned to purchase its own machines for cleaning the drain under the Smart City Mission, the proposal has been stuck due to the lockdown. In the previous rainy season, drain water had entered many localities.
Report of samples awaited
The committee formed by National Green Tribunal to keep an eye on the pollution level in the Satluj and Buddha Nullah had directed the PPCB to collect samples during the lockdown period to check who is the actual culprit in polluting the water bodies.
Member secretary of Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) Karunesh Garg said, “We had collected samples from Buddha Nullah and STPs during this lockdown period and we are analyzing the report. In a day or so, the report will be finalised.”
Congress MP Ravneet Bittu, who had made Buddha Nullah his poll agenda, said, “No doubt, it is the best time to clean the drain as no chemicals are coming from the industry, but most of the employees are busy with sanitization and other things related with Covid-19 arrangements. Moreover, we cannot deploy labourers in large numbers at the site as we have to maintain social distancing as well. The actual picture has come to light and it has been cleared that industry was responsible for pollution in Buddha Nullah and Satluj.”
While warning the polluting units, Bittu said the industrialists have time to find alternate measures as now they would not be allowed to throw their waste in drain at any condition. What we wanted to do by spending Rs 650 crores is happening without investing anything.”