Centre raises questions over Rs 840-cr Buddha Nullah rejuvenation project

The water quality of the Buddha Nullah and the Sutlej has deteriorated more in 2024 as compared to 2022, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has said.

The Union Government has expressed serious concern over the issue and has raised questions over the outcome of the Buddha Nullah rejuvenation project involving an expenditure of Rs 840 crore. The project launched in December 2020 to rejuvenate the nullah turned out to be a futile exercise.

Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, had ordered the CPCB to test the water quality of the nullah and the Sutlej. The CPCB had informed the Centre that the water quality of both water bodies had further deteriorated in 2024 as compared to that in 2022.

Mukherjee recently held a meeting with senior officials of the Centre and state government, besides experts from various agencies. In a detailed presentation, Ludhiana MC Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal spoke about the inception of the rejuvenation project and its current status. At least two CETPs of 40 MLD and 15 MLD capacity were not complying with the prescribed discharge standards.

The CPCB had also found that all effluent treatment plants were not meeting the prescribed discharge standards and issued directions for compliance on August 12.

Dachalwal said against the expected norm for using discharged water for irrigation, all CETPs were discharging treated waste water into the Buddha Nullah in violation.

There was also a proposal to release 200 cusecs of fresh water from the Sirhind canal into the nullah but it has not been consistent.

Taking note, the Centre has mooted an action plan to clean and preserve the key Sutlej tributary, which passes through Ludhiana before it confluences with the river and enters Rajasthan.

To undertake the time-bound action plan within one month, a Centre-State joint action group of senior officials and experts has been constituted under the chairmanship of Director, Science, Technology and Environment, Manish Kumar. It has been asked to diagnose issues concerning persisting pollution in the nullah, evaluate the existing pollution abatement infrastructure to ensure optimisation and suggest action within one month.