Ludhiana: 60 villages unite to oppose private mill project near Buddha Nullah

Hindustan Times

26-05-2025

The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has submitted a report to the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change, highlighting strong public opposition to the proposed Ruchira Paper Mill near the banks of Buddha Nullah in Chamkaur Sahib. The report comes after a public hearing held on April 30, 2025, under the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) norms.
Over 1,000 villagers from around 60 surrounding villages participated in the hearing, voicing unanimous rejection of the proposed red-category industry. Residents feared the private mill would devastate the ecologically rich area home to rivers, canals, wildlife, and dense forest cover.
The locals united under the banners of the Sri Chamkaur Sahib Morcha and Public Action Committee (PAC) Mattewara to resist the project. They alleged that the project is backed by political leaders and corporate interests.
Activists pointed out that the mill site lies just 10 metres from Buddha Nullah and 200 metres from the Neelon Canal violating an environmental law that prohibits red-category industries within 500 metres of a water source. The proposed plant would use and discharge crores of litres of water daily, posing a direct threat to Ludhiana's future drinking water supply and already polluted Buddha Nullah, which flows downstream into Rajasthan.
PAC teams also visited Buddha Nullah near GT Road, collecting black water samples to counter government claims of improvement. 'It's like Coca-Cola running through our drains,' said PAC members Kapil Dev and Gurpreet Palaha, slamming state propaganda for misleading the public.
Jaskirat Singh of the residents' body said the report reflects rare honesty despite political pressure but warned that the final decision lies with the Centre. 'We've averted a disaster for now, but the real battle is in Delhi. Every Punjabi must now raise their voice to ensure this project doesn't receive environmental clearance.'
Activists sound alarm over pollution
A united front of environmentalists, social activists, and citizens gathered near the 225 MLD Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) on Jail Road as part of Phase-1 of the Buddha Nullah Padyatra on Sunday, issuing a collective call to restore the dying Buddha Nullah and protect Punjab's subsoil water and the Sutlej River system from severe contamination.
The gathering, led by the Public Action Committee (PAC), highlighted continued violations at three key discharge points: the 40 MLD CETP at Focal Point, the 50 MLD CETP at Tajpur Road, and the 225 MLD STP at Jail Road. All three units are allegedly discharging untreated, chemically toxic effluents into Buddha Nullah, in violation of Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) norms mandated by the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
PAC activists documented dark water discharges, suspicious underground diversions, and even temporary halts in red-coloured effluent flows during inspection—pointing to regulatory evasion.
₹1,154 crore project to rejuvenate Buddha Nullah
In a step towards addressing Punjab's worsening groundwater crisis and rejuvenating the polluted Buddha Nullah, the soil conservation department has prepared a ₹1,050-crore proposal to reuse treated wastewater for agricultural and forestry purposes. The initiative, formulated following the recommendations of the Vidhan Sabha Committee on Buddha Nullah and Ghaggar River matters, aims to reduce pressure on depleting groundwater resources and tackle environmental pollution.