Rajya Sabha MP and environmentalist Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal, during the 38th meeting on the clean-up campaign of the Buddha Dariya at the MC's Zone D office in Ludhiana on Wednesday, stated that all officials had worked as a team to bring significant improvements in the river's water quality and positive results are emerging.
Officials Appreciated and Warned
Seechewal said officials who played an active role in cleaning the Buddha Dariya deserve thanks, while strict action would be taken against those who were negligent. ADC Amit Bamby, MC Joint Commissioner Amanpreet Singh, other senior officials of the Police Department, Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), and the contractor hired for lifting cow dung were among those present in the meeting.
7,500 Tonnes of Cow Dung Collected
Sant Seechewal said during the meeting, MC officials reported that a total of 7,500 tonnes of cow dung was collected from Tajpur and Haibowal dairies in 62 days. This means that if each tipper carries 12 tonnes of cow dung, 625 tippers of cow dung were prevented from entering the Buddha Dariya.
Government Allocation and CBG Plants
Seechewal told mediapersons that the state government had allocated Rs 22 crore to collect the cow dung. CBG plants had been installed at both dairy complexes, which pay dairy owners for collecting the cow dung. Contractors had also been instructed to deploy carts for the collection.
Dairy Owners Resist Water Conservation Measures
MC Joint Commissioner Amanpreet Singh said dairy owners were repeatedly requested to install flow meters to measure water consumption but they refused. They were asked to install water tanks in the dairies so that there would be no need to use pumps, but the request was also ignored. Despite the drinking water crisis, some dairy owners are ignoring collection arrangements and using clean water to remove and discharge cow dung into the river.
Seechewal's Appeal for Humanity
Seechewal said people in Rajasthan and Malwa were forced to drink water from the Sutlej, which was being polluted in such a way. He stated that polluting the river was not humane. Though the government had made all arrangements, some continue to pollute the water body and protest against the government.
Water Quality Improves Significantly
According to reports from the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), the water quality of the Buddha Dariya is improving significantly. Officials presented reports from January 2026 to April 2026 in the meeting, stating that samples collected near Bhammia Wali Puli showed a TDS of 918 in January, which dropped to 366 in April. The BOD was 93 in January, falling to 7 in April, and COD levels decreased from 312 in January to 32 in April. The biggest change was seen in E. coli samples from the same location: 2,10,000 in January dropped to just 3,200 in April. The most dangerous component, F. coli, decreased from 94,000 in January to only 1,100 in April. Reports from different parts of the water body consistently show significant improvement in the water quality of the river.
