Times News Network
Ludhiana: Activists of Kale Pani Da Morcha have written to the deputy commissioner and police commissioner for security as they proceed to close outlets of common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) of dyeing units at Tajpur Road on Dec 3. According to them, dyeing unit owners would send people to “create a law and order situation.” They urged people to participate in the event peacefully.
Morcha members claimed that they had called upon people of Punjab to come to Ludhiana on Dec 3 to stop the flow of illegal effluents into the Buddha Dariya. They said that this was necessary as the government and Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) were not taking any concrete action against polluters beyond issuing orders which were not enforced.
They mentioned that the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) issued an order on Aug 12 to close three outlets of the dyeing industry’s CETPs, followed by three separate orders by PPCB on Sep 25 and 26 for immediate closure of the “illegal” outlets. They said they had filed a police complaint at Tibba police station but nothing was done. The activists pointed out that the NGT had not given a stay on the three orders despite appeals filed by the industry and PPCB or the DC could get the orders implemented any time.
The activists said that all those becoming part of the gathering had been asked to remain completely peaceful and abide by the law. They stated that the gathering was aimed at the noble cause of protecting the environment, rivers and water of Punjab, which was a duty of every citizen as enshrined in the Constitution of India.
Kale Pani Da Morcha activists have taken to social media to urge people to participate in their oft-repeated plan of closing CETP outlets on Tajpur Road. Alleging that the state govt had become the “saviour of polluters,” they are asking people to join them to save Punjab from pollution. They maintain that they had given the govt enough time to take action against the violations.