Punjab Environment Minister Om Parkash Soni today issued afresh warning to the polluters; especially those industrial units which have no Effluent Treatment Plants (ETP) and are contaminating the water resources harming environment and ecological balance.Mr. Soni said that he has given strict instructions to all the laboratories associated with Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) to test and prepare authentic and confirmable reports of the samples being collected by the official as per norms. He said that Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh has designated him to bring result oriented changes in the environment of our state, so he has to take certain measures against the offenders. The minister made it clear that he shall be adopting a policy of counseling the offenders to install treatment plants at their industrial units and shall only be taking rigid actions against those who shall not be following the norms of the board.
Regarding samples collected by PPCB team during his surprise visit to the Khasa distillery, the minister said that the samples collected from the Waste Water Filtration Plant of the distillery had been sent to Punjab Biotechnology Incubator (PBTI) Mohali; the report of which shall be on his table by the next week. Further explaining the testing process he said that the water sample undergo multiple tests including Bio Chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Total Suspended Solids, PH levels etc. depending upon the nature of the industrial unit.Mr. Soni said that he shall be deciding the course of action after he gets the report and comments by the experts. The minister further informed that his teams can pay surprise visit to any unit and collect samples. He assured that all the industrialists following the norms laid by PPCB must not worry about vendetta complaints and should continue with their operations. The minister further informed that PPCB is in process of developing systems and techniques to control pollution which shall be ready for operation in near future.