In a significant escalation of the ongoing environmental battle in Ludhiana, a local citizens' group has approached the National Green Tribunal (NGT) seeking contempt action against civic and district administration officials. The Public Action Committee (PAC) alleges blatant and deliberate flouting of a binding tribunal order meant to protect the severely polluted Buddha Dariya drain and its buffer zone.
Allegations of Wilful Disobedience
The contempt petition, filed as an Interlocutory Application, targets officials for permitting large-scale illegal construction to continue without hindrance. This is in direct contravention of explicit safeguards mandated by the NGT in its order dated July 9. PAC members Kuldeep Singh Khaira and Jaskirat Singh pointed out that the tribunal had strictly prohibited any illegal construction within the drain or its designated buffer area. It had also constituted a high-level monitoring committee involving the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the District Magistrate to ensure compliance.
Activists Kapil Arora and Amandeep Singh Bains detailed the specific violations observed on the ground. They reported that the Municipal Corporation itself undertook the construction of RCC retaining walls inside the active flow channel of the drain. Furthermore, a road was built within the buffer zone, an area earmarked solely for a greenbelt. These unlawful activities were documented at multiple locations, including near the Chand Cinema Bridge and Tajpur Road.
Destruction and Direct Consequences
The petition outlines a series of destructive actions carried out as part of this construction:
- Felling of trees and removal of wild vegetation.
- Excavation and tampering with the natural riverbanks.
- Narrowing the natural width of the Buddha Dariya.
Activists also highlighted the unscientific handling of toxic sludge dredged from the drain in early August. They contend that the illegal narrowing directly caused a severe overflow event on September 1. This led to the inundation of adjoining residential colonies with highly polluted and toxic water, creating an immediate public health emergency.
Flood Risk and Looming Health Crisis
The PAC has raised a stern warning about the grave risks posed by these violations. The overflow of contaminated water into residential areas significantly increases the threat of waterborne disease outbreaks, including cholera and typhoid. The petition frames this not just as an environmental issue, but as an imminent public health hazard for the citizens of Ludhiana.
Officials Accused of Inaction and Neglect
PAC members Gurpreet Singh and Mohit Saggar informed the NGT of a frustrating lack of action from the highest local authorities. Despite repeated complaints, photographic evidence, and field reports being submitted to the District Magistrate—who was specifically entrusted by the NGT to prevent such violations—the illegal construction was allowed to proceed "unchecked". The petitioners argue this inaction gave the Municipal Commissioner a "free hand" to continue the work.
The petitioners assert that this willful neglect and disobedience of judicial directions bring both the District Magistrate and the Municipal Commissioner under the purview of Sections 25, 26, and 28 of the NGT Act. The PAC has urgently appealed to the tribunal to take strict punitive action against the erring officials and to issue an immediate order to halt all ongoing illegal construction. This, they stress, is crucial to prevent further degradation of the environment and to protect the public from harm.
