The pipes of 10 dairy units, discharging “untreated” wastewater into the Buddha Nullah, were shut by officials of the drainage department and the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) on Monday. Rajya Sabha member and environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal accompanied the officials during the operation on the first day of the campaign.

These dairy units were allegedly discharging their waste into the Buddha Nullah “unchecked”, posing a severe environmental hazard, said officials. Despite prior recommendations from the PPCB regarding disconnection of the electricity supply to 10 such dairies, the discharge had continued unabated, they said.

As part of a broader effort to clean the Buddha Nullah, Seechewal had initiated an ‘akhand path’ at Gurdwara Gaughat on December 22. The bhog ceremony will take place on Tuesday.

Speaking to mediapersons, Seechewal expressed optimism about restoring Buddha Nullah’s natural state. He highlighted the purity of the holy Bein whose water now has a TDS level between 116 and 118, a benchmark he hopes to achieve for Buddha Nullah as well.

Seechewal emphasised that the industrial pollution is a major challenge. He vowed to take strict measures to stop factories from discharging toxic waste into the river. “Punjab’s rivers are our heritage. By polluting them, we endanger their existence and our own future,” he said, urging residents to pledge their support for this cause.

In a related meeting held at the 225 MLD treatment plant, Seechewal issued stern warnings to officials, calling for immediate action against violators. Municipal Corporation’s additional commissioner Paramdeep Singh Khaira, DDPO Navdeep Kaur, PPCB official Kuldeep Singh and representatives from the drainage and sewerage boards attended the meeting.

To ensure continuous monitoring of the cleanup drive, Seechewal has decided to reside in Ludhiana temporarily. He is actively seeking a shelter near the Buddha Nullah to oversee the progress. On December 24, he invited Punjabis to participate in the bhog ceremony and contribute to restoring the sanctity of the river.