Pollution in Buddha Dariya: Contempt petition against PPCB, CETPs for defying Tribunal orders

In a major escalation in the Buddha Dariya pollution case, the Ludhiana-based Public Action Committee (PAC) has filed a contempt petition in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) against officials of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) as well as Directors of the Bahadur Ke CETP for deliberately violating the Tribunal orders and allowing the continued discharge of toxic effluents into the Buddha Dariya.

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PAC members Er Jaskirat Singh and Er Kapil Arora stated that despite explicit mention of ‘Zero liquid discharge’ (ZLD) and ‘no discharge into the Buddha Dariya’ in the Environmental Clearance (EC) conditions of 2013 and 2014, dyeing industry clusters in Ludhiana have continued to pollute the water body with impunity for over a decade. When PAC exposed the concealed EC documents in early 2024, it became clear that all three CETPs — Bahadur Ke, Tajpur Road, and Focal Point — were operating in violation* of the EC conditions.

What followed, as per the PAC, was a clear pattern of collusion. Instead of acting firmly, the PPCB gave undue leeway to the CETPs, and the state government deliberately delayed enforcement by repeatedly changing lawyers during ongoing proceedings, giving more time to violators.

Following widespread public protests and extensive media coverage of illegal discharges, the NGT took suo motu cognisance and directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to inspect the CETPs. The CPCB confirmed violations of environmental clearance conditions at all three CETPs. Based on this report, in August 2024, the CPCB ordered the state pollution control authority to act under Section 18(1)(b) of the Water Act, leading to the formal withdrawal of the consent to operate from Bahadur Ke, Tajpur Road and Focal Point CETPs.

However, PAC members Kuldeep Singh Khaira and Preet Dhanoa said despite the NGT’s order, dated November 4, 2024, the CETPs continued operations, illegally releasing untreated effluents into the dariya. The state government, instead of ensuring compliance, backed the industry, protecting polluters at the cost of public health. It prompted the PAC to file a contempt petition, citing deliberate defiance of the Tribunal orders.

Dr Amandeep Singh Bains and Gurpreet Singh pointed out that the Bahadur Ke CETP later obtained a fresh EC in 2014 with a Zero liquid discharge (ZLD) condition, which was even stricter. Yet, it too failed to comply. The failure to implement the core environmental conditions had been a huge threat to the public health, especially in South Punjab and Rajasthan where the Buddha Dariya was a source of drinking water.

Col JS Gill while highlighting another disturbing development stated that the PPCB had initiated criminal prosecution against CETP SPVs and their directors in Ludhiana district courts but the state government amended the Water Act to remove prison terms, weakening enforcement and effectively sabotaging cases. Those criminal cases were then not pursued seriously and had been lingering on for an entire year without making any headway.

PAC argued that this legislative dilution and administrative inaction were not only negligence but also amount to criminal collusion and institutional sabotage. The contempt petition had been filed under Sections 25, 26 and 28 of the NGT Act, which allow for up to three years’ imprisonment or ?10 crore in fine against the violators.

Tarun Jain Bawa, industrialist from the Bahadur Ke road area, said the matter was already sub-judice in the NGT and the Tribunal would pronounce the order on July 22. The industry had been following the norms and the NGT decision would do justice.