Punjab government sanctions Rs 650 crore rejuvenation plan for Budah Nallah in Ludhiana

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has approved Rs 650 crore for the rejuvenation of highly polluting Budah Nallah here.

The Chief Minister has also asked the local government department to ensure the timely completion of the project, within two years.

Presiding over a high-level meeting here on Monday, Amarinder directed Sanjay Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary of local government, to take all necessary steps for the rejuvenation of Budah Nallah, having a total length of 47.55 km, of which 14 km passes through Ludhiana city.

The city has been heavily polluted by the industrial and domestic waste thrown into the Nallah, causing a major threat to public health and environment.

Calling for maximum public participation, Amarinder asked the local industry, NGOs, religious and social orgsations to come forward to carry out this project in a mission mode.

The Chief Minister also lauded the contribution of Satguru Thakur Uday Singh, Head of Namdhari Sect, for taking personal initiative for the cleng of Budah Nallah in coordination with Ludhiana Municipal Corporation.

According to an official statement, Satguru has also contributed an amount of Rs 30 lakh for the purchase of machinery etc for this noble cause.

"The ACS local government said that out of total Rs 650 crore, Rs 342 crore would be spent by the state government while Rs 208 crore would be contributed by the government of India and Rs 100 crore by the private operator," read the release.

Under the first phase, augmentation and refurbishment of sewage treatment facility, dairy effluent treatment, survey to find out missing links for industrial effluent and laying of dedicated conveyance system for industrial wastewater to carry the same to Common Effluent Treatment Plant, if required, would be executed, the Chief Minister said.

Amarinder, in the release, added that the second phase, involving Rs 150 crore, would include reuse of treated effluent, and landscaping and beautification along the Buddha Nallah would also be undertaken at a cost of Rs 283 crore.

According to the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), the actual waste discharge being generated in the city is 711 MLD, which includes 610 MLD of domestic sewage discharge, 15 MLD discharge from the dairy complex and industrial effluent discharge of 86 MLD.

At present, the city has an installed sewage treatment capacity of 466 MLD and another 105 MLD capacity of Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETP) for industrial wastewater treatment is under installation, the release added.

( With inputs from ANI )