17K saplings to be planted alongside Ludhiana's Buddha Nullah

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 27

Thousands of saplings will be planted alongside highly polluted Buddha Nullah upstream and downstream outside the Municipal Corporation (MC) limits. The Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) has floated two tenders for the work while bids will be opened on July 2.

‘Maintenance needed for at least 3 years’

A member of Buddha Nullah Task Force, Col JS Gill, said tree plantation is much required and it is a welcome move for the betterment of the environment. However, maintenance of trees is needed for at least three years.

The first project work at an estimated cost of Rs 1.23 crore includes plantation of saplings alongside the nullah (upstream) from Kum Kalan to the MC limits near Tajpur Road, Ludhiana, (17-km-long stretch) while another work to be done at a cost of Rs 1.23 crore includes plantation of trees alongside the drain (downstream) from the MC limits near Haibowal Dairy Complex to the Sutlej (17-km-long stretch). Notably, the drain meets the river near Walipur village in Ludhiana district.

Approximately 17,000 saplings are said to be planted alongside the nullah, once known as Buddha Dariya. GLADA Horticulture wing executive engineer Navjot Singh said the saplings would be planted on around 34-km-longstretch (upstream and downstream) outside the MC limits. Two rows of the trees will be planted on both sides of the drain under the project.

According to GLADA officials, the successful bidder will provide and fix tree guards and also ensure maintenance of trees for one year. The saplings will be supplied from GLADA nursery.

The Irrigation Department will ensure demarcation of the land where the trees are to be planted. A member of Buddha Nullah Task Force, Col JS Gill, said tree plantation was much required and it was a welcome move for the betterment of the environment.

Colonel Gill suggested plantation of vetiver on banks of the Buddha Nullah.

He said: “If vetiver is planted on the banks of the drain, it will not only strengthen the banks but also help reduce the pollution. Vetiver was also planted on the banks of a highly polluted river, ‘Citarum’, in Indonesia.

Huge solid waste collected and weed in the nullah are also crying for attention. Untreated waste from factories, dairies and MC’s sewage are being dumped in the drain for decades.