Rajya Sabha member Seechewal pulls up MC officials over coloured water from Jamalpur drain flowing into Buddha Dariya, PPCB collected samples on the spot.

Time of India

19-07-2025

Ludhiana: Toxic industrial effluents are once again flowing unchecked into the Buddha Dariya after a key motor at a pumping station failed, disrupting treatment operations and allowing untreated water from the Jamalpur drain to enter the river directly.
The incident has sparked serious environmental concerns, with local dyeing and industrial units suspected of contributing to the contamination. Normally, the drain's wastewater is diverted to the 225 MLD treatment plant through three motors. However, with one out of service for several days, the remaining system has been overwhelmed — allowing most of the drain's polluted discharge to bypass treatment and spill into the Buddha Dariya.
Water samples were collected from the site on Tuesday under the supervision of Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) officials, who were acting on instructions from Rajya Sabha MP and environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal. The samples are expected to help identify the factories responsible for illegal dumping. "The people of Malwa and Rajasthan are drinking this contaminated water. It is linked to rising cases of cancer and other serious illnesses," Seechewal said, adding that the lack of accountability among officials has allowed this ecological disaster to deepen.
Accountability crisis
Seechewal accused both the PPCB and Ludhiana municipal corporation of neglecting basic maintenance and monitoring duties. "Until responsibilities are clearly fixed, nothing will improve," he said, accusing the bureaucracy of delaying efforts to restore the seasonal drain and convert it into a rejuvenated water body. He also said he had raised the issue directly with chief minister Bhagwant Mann, warning that pollution in the Buddha Dariya would persist unless strict action was taken against non-compliant officers and polluting industries.
Ongoing cleanup effort
The Buddha Dariya has long suffered from industrial waste discharge, especially from local dairies and dyeing factories. The second phase of a public clean-up initiative — the Kar Sewa — began on Dec 22, 2024, with Seechewal at the helm. The campaign received support from the-then Punjab governor, Banwarilal Purohit, who held three high-level meetings on the issue during his visit to Ludhiana.
Despite these efforts, Seechewal claims that bureaucratic inertia continues to obstruct real change. "The same lobby that turned this seasonal stream into a black, foul-smelling drain is now resisting its revival," he said. He urged residents and civic groups to exert pressure on officials to stop the discharge of untreated waste and to support the long-term revival of the Buddha Dariya.
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