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₹16 Crore Rehab Fails: Buddha Nullah Still Polluted
16 Mar
Summary
- A ₹16 crore rehabilitation project failed to fix a sewage treatment plant.
- Untreated sewage flows into Buddha Nullah, worsening pollution.
- Dairy waste from nearby complexes is damaging the plant's machinery.
The 152-MLD sewage treatment plant at Balloke, constructed around 2008, is critically underperforming despite a recent ₹16 crore rehabilitation project. Untreated or partially treated wastewater continues to be discharged into the Buddha Nullah, a significant water channel in the region, worsening its already severe pollution levels.
Officials cite the inflow of cow dung and dairy waste from nearby dairy complexes, particularly Haibowal, as a primary reason for the plant's deterioration. This excessive organic waste load has gradually damaged the plant's machinery and hampered its treatment capabilities, preventing it from meeting prescribed pollution standards.
Environmental activists are concerned about the continuous discharge of untreated sewage, which further contaminates the Buddha Nullah. This drain, notorious for carrying municipal sewage, dairy waste, and industrial effluents from Ludhiana, has seen numerous cleanup initiatives over the years that have yielded limited success due to poor infrastructure maintenance.
