The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has stepped into the growing environmental crisis in Ludhiana, issuing formal notices to Punjab state authorities and representatives of the industrial sector. This legal intervention comes in response to serious allegations that local dyeing units are intensifying a public health emergency by burning prohibited materials and improperly disposing of hazardous industrial waste.
Petition Details Illegal Fuel Use and Dumping
The action was triggered by a petition filed by the Public Action Committee (PAC). The group has accused members of the Punjab Dyers Association (PDA), who are linked to the 50 MLD Tajpur Road effluent treatment plant, of routinely using illegal fuels like pet coke, rice husk, and cow dung to run their operations.
PAC members Kapil Arora and Kuldeep Singh Khaira presented detailed claims before the NGT. They stated that the use of these unauthorized fuels generates dangerous fly ash and boiler ash. This toxic waste is then allegedly dumped illegally on agricultural fields, in vacant plots, and directly into the Buddha Dariya waterway. Furthermore, the petition asserts that many units operate with defective or completely absent pollution control devices, leading to thick clouds of ash settling over residential areas and even the Tajpur Jail complex.
The PAC emphasized that the situation has made the area unsafe for living, reporting a sharp increase in respiratory problems, eye irritation, and skin diseases among vulnerable populations like children and the elderly.
Alleged Data Suppression and Regulatory Lapses
The petition goes beyond the acts of the industries to point a finger at systemic regulatory failure. It alleges that the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has not fulfilled its duty to monitor air quality effectively. PAC representatives Jaskirat Singh and Amandeep Singh Bains claim the board has neither disclosed the types of fuel used in official consents nor installed mandatory monitoring systems as directed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) back in 2019.
A major point of contention is the accuracy of Ludhiana's official Air Quality Index (AQI) data. The city currently relies on a single Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS), which is situated within the green and relatively clean campus of the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU). Despite this sheltered location, the station frequently records AQI levels above 300, which is classified as 'hazardous'.
The PAC argues that this data presents a distorted picture. They contend that if monitoring stations were placed near the actual industrial clusters where the pollution originates, the recorded levels would reveal a far more alarming and accurate scenario of the city's toxic air.
NGT Directives and Demands for Action
In its order, the NGT has directed the Punjab Dyers Association (PDA), the PPCB, the CPCB, and the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation to formally respond to all allegations. The next hearing on the matter is scheduled for April 14.
The applicants have put forth several demands for the tribunal's consideration, including:
- Immediate closure of industrial units that are repeat violators of environmental norms.
- Conduct of independent, surprise inspections and imposition of environmental compensation.
- Installation of three additional CAAQMS units in strategic locations to get a true representation of Ludhiana's air pollution.
- Official accountability for regulators who failed to enforce established environmental laws and standards.
The NGT has instructed the applicants to serve the notice to all respondents and file an affidavit confirming this service at least one week before the April hearing date.
