Polluted Buddha Nullah still key poll issue for residents

Tribune News Service

Harshraj Singh

Ludhiana, March 2

Ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the highly polluted Buddha Dariya, commonly known as Buddha Nullah due to its foul-smelling and black water, remains a significant concern for residents of various villages located in its vicinity. The situation persists in urban areas along the course of the nullah as well. Environmental activists and nearby residents are still waiting for politicians to fulfill their promises to make the Buddha Dariya pollution-free.

The polluted water from the nullah merges into the Sutlej near Walipur Kalan village, displaying stark differences in water quality, with black water on one side and clearer water on the other. As the Lok Sabha elections draw near again, the people say there had been no respite from the severe pollution in nullah.

Sukhdev Singh from Gaunspur village expressed dismay that the decades-long issue of pollution in the nullah had not been solved to date. For villagers, the polluted nullah remains a primary concern even in this election period. Recent sightings of dead animals floating in the water body highlight the absence of effective measures. Furthermore, a number of industries continue to pollute the environment without facing consequences, he said.

Residents of Gaunspur village, situated along the nullah in Ludhiana district, have long raised concerns about health issues such as hepatitis and skin problems allegedly due to the polluted water. In the past, the people had also staged protests, blaming successive governments for failing to address the pollution in the dariya in a proper manner.

he Rejuvenation of Buddha Nullah project, initiated in December 2020 at a cost of approximately Rs 650 crore, has missed several deadlines. Though it is scheduled to complete by March 2024, environmental activists claim to have observed no significant improvements, with polluted water from industries, dairies, and untreated sewage still entering the nullah. The absence of a crucial sewer link between two intermediate pumping stations (Sundar Nagar and Kundanpuri) exacerbates the issue, due to which untreated sewage is still released into the water body from different outlets.

A city resident, Maninderjit Singh Benipal, said pollution in the Buddha Dariya had been a significant issue during past elections and remains unresolved to date. He said: “We have been raising the issue of pollution in the Buddha Dariya and Sutlej for a long time, but no visible results have been observed even after the launch of the Rejuvenation of Buddha Nullah project. Buddha Dariya is still polluted and continues to pollute the river. It will remain a major issue for us in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.”

Colonel CM Lakhanpal (retd), an environmental activist, emphasised that despite the nearing 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Buddha Dariya remains polluted. Pollution in the dariya and Sutlej constitutes a major electoral issue. He urged the government to take concrete steps to curb pollution, particularly from industrial waste and dairy complexes. The polluted waters from the Buddha Dariya and Bhattian drain are still discharged into the Sutlej. He emphasised the pressing necessity to prevent any further pollution of the Sutlej by tackling the pollution sources originating from the Bhattian drain and Buddha Dariya.

Officials claimed that the Rejuvenation of Buddha Nullah project will be completed soon. An official from the MC said, all sewerage treatment plants constructed or upgraded under the project were functioning properly. Five intermediate pumping stations were operational, and effluent treatment plants at Haibowal Dairy Complex and Tajpur Road Dairy were nearing completion, he added.

Rejuvenation project to end soon: officials

Officials claimed that the Rejuvenation of Buddha Nullah project will be completed soon. An official from the Municipal Corporation said all sewerage treatment plants constructed or upgraded under the project were functioning properly.

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