Villagers relieved as waste in Buddha Nullah reduces

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 25

For all hepatitis, skin and other health problems reported in Gaunspur village in the past, residents had been blaming the polluted water of Buddha Nullah for it, but successive governments had always ignored the issue. Now after decades, villagers have heaved a sigh of relief as industrial waste has been visibly reduced in the nullah in the past one month amid the lockdown.

Villagers have been seeking action against the industries polluting the drain for decades. Now that industrial waste has been visibly reduced, villagers are seeking from the government to direct concerned departments to take the required measures to stop dumping of untreated dairy waste and sewage water into the nullah.

Residents also want the government to collect water samples from various nullah points in the village as they have complained that overflowing of nullah water had damaged crops in the fields located near the drain last year as well.

A panchayat member, Sukhminder Singh, said there was some relief from the chemical water of factories. “We want that other untreated waste such as sewage should also not be dumped into the nullah. The government should take required measures,” he said.