To expedite the process of abatement of pollution in the critically polluted area of Ludhiana and expressing concerns regarding the polluted Budha Nullah, a meeting was held under the chairmanship of Mr Kahan Singh Pannu, Director, Mission Tandrust Punjab at Circuit House, here, last evening.During the meeting, the representatives of the major dyeing clusters of Ludhiana and the officials of Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) were present.Briefing about the work regarding the construction of Common Effluent Treatment Plants for Focal Point and Tajpur Road dyeing clusters, the mission director has directed to put forth every possible effort to complete both the projects by March 31, 2019.The construction of CETP of capacity 40 MLD for Focal Point cluster which was to be constructed at a cost of Rs 55.4 crore was held due to the paucity of funds. The mission director has directed the dyeing industries to immediately deposit their respective shares. He told that the Grant-in-Aid from Central government and State government has already been released. The SPV, Focal Point was directed in the meeting to immediately resume the construction of the project. The members of SPV have been told to clear the dues of the construction agency M/S Larson and Toubro Constructions Ltd. and was also told that every effort should be put forth to complete the project by March 31, 2019.
The CETP of capacity 50 MLD for Tajpur Road cluster holding a large chunk of dyeing industries was to be constructed at a cost of Rs. 56 crore. However, the construction has been held due to the paucity of funds. The executing agency M/S Triveni Construction is now estimating the cost of project to be 1.5 times the initial estimate due to cost escalation. The mission director has told the members of SPV for the project to sought the fresh proposal from the executing agency within 1 week failing which the project agreement has to be terminated and the future work will be handed over to some other agency for completion by March 31, 2019.The mission director also motivated the young officials of PPCB to religiously work towards abatement of pollution of Ludhiana and he also told that he will continuously monitor the progress in this regard himself.