STPs ineffective, dirty water flows into Buddha Nullah

Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, April 12

Despite toxic waste of red-category industries of dyeing and electroplating treated by sewage treatment plants (STPs) not meeting standards, water from them is being diverted to the Buddha Nullah, which is one of the most polluted drains in the state.

Ludhiana city has three treatment plants at Bhattian, Jamalpur and Balloke.

Residents living along the Buddha Nullah are unhappy that the STPs are ineffective and are discharging polluted water. Avtar Singh of Haibowal Puli said, “We are breathing and living on toxic and human waste.”

Balbir Chand of Humbran Road said, “The Buddha Nullah has affected crops in adjoining areas.”

In 2021, the National Green Tribunal twice imposed penalties, amounting to Rs 56 lakh and Rs 46 lakh, on the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation for failing to treat effluents.

The red-category industry is spread over the city, away from designated clusters, and continues to discharge effluents into the Budhha Nullah.

The MC had set up three STPs in 2007, with a capacity of 111 million litres a day (MLD), 48 MLD and 152 MLD.

In 2022 three STPs with capacity of 50 MLD, 105 MLD and 225 MLD were set up at Bhattian, Balloke and Jamalpur, respectively.

The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) pointed out that it was not satisfied with the effectiveness of the STPs and asked the authorities concerned to add new components.

A PPCB official stated that the STPs should be upgraded and an adequate number of intermediary pumping stations be installed to ensure uninterrupted flow. The regulatory board highlighted that treated water could be used for irrigation or reused by the industry.

However, the MC officials claim that test reports show that water discharged into the Budhha Nullah met all parameters.

Environmentalist Colonel Jasjit Singh Gill, who is a member of the Public Action Committee, said the quality of discharge from the STPs into the Budhha Nullah and the Sutlej would not improve unless the inflow from red-category industry is stopped.

not satisfied with results

‘We’re not satisfied with the effectiveness of STPs and asked the authorities to do more.’ – PPCB