The Punjab Environment Minister Om Prakash Soni has cautioned the owners of industries polluting environment and the officers, who are collusion with the violators. During visit of Buddha Nullah at Ludhiana, Mr. Soni alleged that dyeing units, which have not installed water treatment plants or their plants were not working are discharging toxic water into Buddha Nullah, which is causing serious health ailments. Mr. Soni held meeting with his representatives of the dyeing units and set a deadline of two-month for them to strictly adhere to the all rules. He categorically said, “if industries should not fulfilling government’s norms, their owners should be ready for strict action.” Mr. Soni said cleanliness of Buddha Nullah under Mission ‘Tandrust Punjab’ is a dream project of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh.Presiding over a meeting with the dyeing units’ associations, Mr. Soni said that industry is the backbone of development in the state but Punjab government will not tolerate any kind of environmental pollution on the sake of running industry.
Pointing out that either many dyeing units have not installed water treatment plants or plants are not working in their premises, hence the industrial effluents and untreated water discharged into Buddha Nullah, which is causing serious health ailments.He instructed the officials of Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) to ensure all dyeing units must follow all the mandatory norms by personally visiting and told to tighten the noose around those units that are discharging their effluents into the Buddha Nullah.“Punjab government is committed to starting three Common Effluent Treatment Plants in Ludhiana at the earliest,” he said adding that government has already provided its share of funds but the union government is yet to contribute its share. However, with the Punjab government’s share and industrialists’ financial assistance, the maximum part of installation work has been completed. The minister also ordered to constitute a committee for conducting detailed probe over the digging of sand on the locations where plants are being installed.