CETP operations illegal, treat it seriously: Panel Public action committee demands action against illegal CETP operations and government inaction in Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Members of the Mattewara Public Action Committee (PAC) have called for criminal action against officials of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) and common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) linked to the city's dyeing industry. The activists, who met with the city's police commissioner on Wednesday, accused them of operating CETPs illegally, violating environmental clearance norms, defying National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders, and contaminating rivers with toxic waste.
PAC representatives demanded an FIR against PPCB officials and CETP operators, alleging their collusion in ongoing environmental violations. The group also sought security for citizens and journalists visiting CETP discharge outlets to document violations, arguing that their evidence would be critical in filing a non-compliance report with the NGT.
Engineer Kapil Dev and Jaskirat Singh of PAC noted that the NGT had recently ordered PPCB to submit a compliance report on shutting down CETP discharge outlets. "Despite repeated extensions, PPCB has failed to file the report, with just one week left before the next NGT hearing on March 20," Dev said.
Citing past incidents where activists from the Kale Pani Da Morcha were prevented from reaching CETP outlets by factory workers, the PAC urged police to ensure the safety of media personnel and citizens collecting evidence over the next few days.
Delaying tactics
PAC members Dr. Amandeep Singh Bains and Preet Dhanoa accused PPCB of deliberately stalling action. "The PPCB's delay tactics expose its collusion with the dyeing industry, at the cost of public health. People in South Punjab are drinking contaminated water because of this negligence," Bains said. "If the government fails to implement its own policies and court orders, we will escalate the matter to the Governor and the Lokayukta."
The PAC highlighted that PPCB had recently imposed multi-crore fines on Tajpur and Bahadur Ke Road CETPs for repeated violations. However, activists questioned why these CETPs were allowed to continue discharging pollutants into Buddha Dariya despite the penalties.
‘Govt shielding polluters'
Col J S Gill, a former member of the Buddha Dariya Task Force, alleged that the government was deliberately delaying enforcement to benefit polluting industries. "They know these illegal CETPs have to be stopped, yet they are giving them more time to operate. By amending the Water (Prevention of Pollution) Act, 1974, to replace jail terms with fines, the government has openly sided with polluters," Gill said. Activists vowed to continue pressing for stricter enforcement, warning that without immediate intervention, Ludhiana's water crisis would escalate further.
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