2 weeks Ago
Ludhiana: Punjab Pollution Control Board ’s officials will re-sample water from dyeing units across this city, following concerns raised by a Punjab Vidhan Sabha committee on Buddha Dariya regarding contamination levels. Committee chairman Daljit Singh Bhola Grewal ordered this re-sampling after recent tests from the Buddha Dariya showed mixed results. While the water discharged from the common effluent treatment plant (CETP) met the pollution control standards, samples from the other areas showed excessive pollution.
The committee has called for re-testing at 40 scattered dyeing units to verify claims by factory operators that their discharged water meets the required standards. Bhola Grewal highlighted the need to authenticate these claims, particularly as untreated industrial and domestic waste has been found flowing into the drain, raising doubts about compliance. The Buddha Dariya rejuvenation project, which cost Rs 650 crore, has faced criticism from activists and locals, with many questioning the effectiveness of the measures implemented.
Bhola Grewal emphasized the importance of re-sampling to authenticate the facts, as the operators of scattered dyeing units claim to be adhering to the prescribed treatment protocols. The Punjab Pollution Control Board had collected water samples previously from the Buddha Dariya on two separate occasions in August. The sample report indicated satisfactory results near Tajpur Road Central Jail, where treated water is discharged from the Focal Point Dyeing industry and Tajpur Road Dyeing industry's common effluent treatment plant.
Similarly, the condition was found to be acceptable at Balaji Puli, where water from the sewerage treatment plant flows into the drain. However, the situation deteriorated after untreated domestic and industrial discharge along with dairy waste began to flow into the drain from Mahavir Jain Dyeing Complex. These findings have led the Vidhan Sabha committee to express scepticism regarding the claims made by the operators of scattered dyeing units, as excessive color levels have been detected in the water at various points, which violate the prescribed standards.
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