After being asked by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to personally monitor the pollution control measures in the Sutlej, Beas and its tributaries, Punjab Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan held discussions with the tribunal-appointed monitoring committee under the chairmanship of Justice Jasbir Singh (retd).
‘Beas cleaner now’
The NGT panel members were informed that in the past two years, improvement in the water quality to the desired level (Class-B) in two stretches of the Beas had been achieved, which had become the only river in the entire country to achieve such standards
The panel members were informed that in the past two years, the improvement in the water quality to the desired level (Class-B) in two stretches of the Beas had been achieved, which had become the only river in the entire country to achieve such standards. It was informed that work to the tune of Rs 500 crore, pertaining to setting up of sewage treatment plants and effluent treatment plants for daily waste to address the problem of pollution in Buddha Nullah, was going on.
With the commissioning of these plants, the river water quality of the Sutlej will improve significantly. Besides, 105 MLD-capacity common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) have been set up to check industrial pollutants entering into the Sutlej. The state has prepared 14 district environment plans to address the problem of pollution at the district level.
The panel, comprising former Chief Secretary SC Aggarwal, environmentalist Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal (both members) and technical expert Dr Babu Ram, highlighted various environment-related issues concerning the state with specific reference to improving the water quality in the rivers and waste management in urban and rural areas.
Recently, the NGT, while dismissing review petitions filed by the government against a 2018 order requiring the state to pay environmental compensation of Rs 50 crore, asked the state to deposit the amount with the Central Pollution Control Board forthwith for eco-restoration of the Sutlej and Beas rivers.
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/treatment-plants-being-set-up-to-curb-pollution-ngt-committee-told-209410