Punjab science technology and environment minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer on Tuesday took stock of the progress of the ongoing Buddha Nullah rejuvenation project and directed officials of Ludhiana municipal corporation, sewage board, Punjab Pollution Control Board and other departments to expedite all works under the project.
Presiding over a meeting held at Jamalpur treatment plant, Hayer said cleaning the nullah is a foremost priority of the Punjab government. He added that he will personally review the project regularly to ensure its completion well before timeline. He instructed officials to complete the construction of the 225-MLD STP at Jamalpur by December this year.
The minister said that the work is on in full swing on two new STPs to treat domestic waste with total capacity of 285 MLD (Jamalpur 225 MLD and Balloke 60 MLD); rehabilitation of existing STPs, two common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) for treatment of wastewater from two dairy complexes in Tajpur and Haibowal; six intermediate pumping stations and laying of a 10-km pipeline.Rajya Sabha MP Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal also emphasised on the need for timely completion of ongoing works under the rejuvenation project and asked officials to expeditiously remove all encroachments around the nullah.
MLA Daljeet Singh Grewal said that administration must explore the feasibility of setting up STPs to treat domestic waste of nearby areas. Later, the minister and other officials visited the 50-MLD common effluent treatment plant (CETP) on Tajpur Road.
Those present at the meeting included chief executive officer of Punjab Municipal Infrastructure Development Company (PMIDC) Isha Kalia, deputy commissioner Surabhi Malik and MC commissioner Shena Aggarwal.