Following the drowning of two minor boys in Buddha Nullah during a religious event organised by AAP MP Balbir Singh Seechewal, environmentalists and activists demanded an FIR and a probe, questioning the permission granted for ghats on the polluted stream without adequate safety measures.
The “Ghat Snan” event was held near industrial effluent discharge points.
He claimed in the invite that the Buddha Nullah water was “comparatively clean” near the Central Jail on Tajpur Road, where the event was organised.
The families of Abhay Kumar (15) and Gurjeet Singh (13), who drowned on Sunday, accused the organisers of failing to ensure safety, while the organisers claimed the boys had been repeatedly warned to stay away from the deeper side of the water.
Activists and environmentalists under the Public Action Committee (PAC), while demanding an FIR and a thorough probe, questioned “how such ghats were allowed to open in the first place, and that too in the polluted waters of Buddha Nullah laden with industrial chemicals and effluents.”
The statement issued by PAC strongly condemned what they called the government’s “hypocrisy and negligence.”
“The CM and his government are not even complying with NGT orders to shut down the illegal CETPs of the dyeing industry,” the activists said, adding that he has failed to order the permanent closure of Malbros despite a clear indictment by the Central Pollution Control Board for “reverse boring polluted effluent into the groundwater.”
They also criticised the government for holding a public hearing on April 30 at Sri Chamkaur Sahib to facilitate the setting up of Ruchira Paper Mill—“a red category, highly polluting industry,” on 200 acres along the banks of Buddha Dariya and just 200 metres from Neelon Canal.
“Where is the time to go to his dharna? We don’t have time for photo ops. We are fixing the mess this government has created,” they said.
Dr Amandeep Bains and Col JS Gill of the PAC said, “In his statement the CM claims he has allowed 500 cusecs through Indira Gandhi Canal for the drinking water needs of our armed forces in Rajasthan for the war with Pakistan. What he did not mention was that it goes via Satluj mixed with effluents of Buddha Dariya. He is giving heavily polluted water to our armed forces for their drinking water needs, which contains chemicals of dyeing and electroplating industries of Ludhiana. This amounts to treason.”
Kuldeep Singh Khaira of the PAC said, “The most unfortunate incident involving the drowning of two young boys of Ludhiana during the so-called Ghat Snan function of Balbir Singh Seechewal needs a very quick and high-level investigation after registration of an FIR under 106(1) and other appropriate sections of the BNS.
“How were such ghats allowed in the first place next to the outlets of CETPs by the government and which officials gave permissions? What was the need for such ghats when the primary demand was stoppage of industrial effluents? Which officer did safety audits of such ghats? Why no FIR so far? Where is accountability? Will anyone be held responsible for the two deaths?”
Engineer Kapil Dev and Jaskirat Singh said these ghats should be named “Akal Di Ghat” and “Sharam Di Ghat” as they were not for any productive purpose or cleaning of the river but simply due to a tearing hurry of the Government and Baba Seechewal to take credit before even the task of a pollution-free Buddha Dariya was achieved.
“On one hand the government is not following NGT orders despite multiple reminders by the NGT to stop illegal CETPs; on the other, they are in such a rush to create structures which have nothing to do with cleaning of the river,” he said.
Kuldeep Singh Khaira said, “The most unfortunate incident involving the drowning of two young boys of Ludhiana during the so-called Ghat Snan function of Balbir Singh Seechewal needs a very quick and high-level investigation after registration of an FIR under 106(1) and other appropriate sections of BNS.
“Police should immediately file an FIR and investigate the causes of this tragedy thoroughly and impartially. No one should be allowed to delay filing an FIR under political pressure,” said Khaira in a Facebook post.
Meanwhile, Seechewal, expressing his “sadness” over the incident, said, “The event was meant to celebrate the ‘ceasefire’ between India and Pakistan. Unfortunately, what happened was tragic. Despite being asked repeatedly not to approach the deeper side of the nullah, people still went there.”
