NGT panel inspects dyeing units

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 15

A team, led by Justice Jasbir Singh (retired judge of Punjab and Haryana High Court) and chairman of Monitoring Committee of National Green Tribunal, inspected a few dyeing units here today in the wake of reports of pollution allegedly caused by them. Water samples were collected from four units.

After holding a meeting with officials of separate departments at the Circuit House, Justice Jasbir Singh told the media that the aim of his visit was to check pollution caused by dyeing industries of the city. The NGT team inspected four dyeing industries and their effluent treatment plants were found to be operational. The samples of treated water were also taken.

He said the state government was spending around Rs 1,000 crore on upgrading the existing plants and setting up new ones. Tendering process is under way and the target is to start work in March 2020 and complete it by March 2021, he said.

He said the NGT had made it clear to all industries that they couldn’t discharge even a drop of untreated water into the natural water resources and strict action would be taken against defaulters. He also appealed to farmers not to burn paddy straw.

The members of the committee, SC Aggarwal, Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal and Babu Ram, were also present on the occasion. Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal said the NGT had given strict instructions to the officials concerned to stop pollution in the Buddha Nullah.