The Punjab Cabinet on Tuesday approved ₹650 crore in the first phase for rejuvenation of the highly polluting Buddah Nullah — a seasonal tributary of Sutlej in Ludhiana.
“Under this ambitious plan, an additional sewage treatment plant having a capacity of 275 MLD, including associated infrastructure, would be developed which would go a long way in solving the problems of Buddah Nullah and subsequent pollution of the river Satluj,” said an official statement.
The Cabinet meeting, which was held here, also decided to levy 1% additional stamp duty on registration of sale-purchase of urban properties to finance water supply and environment improvement programmes in the urban areas of the State.
Notably, the pollution in the Buddah Nullah is a major threat to public health and environment and the main sources of pollution in the nullah are direct flow of pollutants by industries and dairies. Also, treated effluents from existing STPs, based on UASB technology, does not meet the required quality and overflow from sewer lines add to the problem.
The NGT has already directed the government to take proactive steps to immediately address the problem.
The Cabinet also approved creation of 550 posts in the Government Medical Colleges at Patiala and Amritsar with the objective of further improving and streamlining the functioning of these institutions, the statement added.
