Home / Environment / Ludhiana Tackles Waste Crisis: NGT Mandates Action
Ludhiana Tackles Waste Crisis: NGT Mandates Action
1 Feb
Summary
- NGT directs Ludhiana officials to implement District Environment Plan.
- Focus on waste management: segregation, processing, and bio-remediation.
- Treated wastewater must be reused for irrigation to save freshwater.
Senior officials in Ludhiana, including representatives from the municipal corporation and the Punjab Pollution Control Board, met to ensure adherence to National Green Tribunal (NGT) judgments concerning the District Environment Plan. The discussions centered on key environmental projects.
Discussions involved a thorough review of municipal solid waste management, with a strong emphasis on source segregation, waste processing, and the scientific disposal of accumulated waste. Progress on bio-remediation was evaluated, with a mandate for time-bound and results-oriented execution.
Management of domestic sewage and the performance of sewage treatment plants were also scrutinized. Officials were directed to repurpose treated wastewater for irrigation and other non-potable uses, conserving precious freshwater resources. Additional environmental concerns, including biomedical waste, e-waste, plastic waste, construction debris, and noise pollution, received comprehensive attention.
Industrial compliance, particularly concerning common effluent treatment plants for specific industries, was reviewed. Environmental hotspots were identified for targeted mitigation. The NGT also instructed the Health Department to conduct random inspections of healthcare facilities to ensure strict compliance with biomedical waste regulations.
Infrastructure projects must now allocate a minimum of 11% of their area for green spaces. Mining operations require prior consent from the PPCB. The Pollution Control Board is tasked with developing a plan for the effective utilization of CSR and CER funds to further environmental initiatives.
