03 September, 2026 – Ludhiana : At least six illegal discharge points continue to pour untreated sewage and dairy waste into the Buddha Nullah, exposing gaps in enforcement even more than five years after the launch of the Rs 650-crore rejuvenation project.
The discharge points have been identified around Jamalpur, Shivpuri, the Gaushala area and dairy clusters along Tajpur Road and Haibowal. Untreated wastewater from dairies, sewage and other waste continues to find its way into the watercourse through these routes.
The development comes despite repeated directions of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and identification of pollution sources by various government agencies. It also raises questions over the monitoring of illegal connections by the Municipal Corporation and other agencies involved in the rejuvenation of the nullah.
The Buddha Nullah rejuvenation project was launched in January 2021 and was initially given a two-year completion target. The government had announced the Rs 650-crore project to stop untreated domestic and industrial wastewater from entering the watercourse.
Dairy waste remains major concern
Three discharge locations along Tajpur Road have emerged as major concerns. These are located in block C of the dairy complex, near the Vijay Nagar pulley and near the last pulley close to the Radha Soami Satsang Ghar. Wastewater from the dairy area is finding its way towards the nullah through these points.
The problem is not limited to the formal dairy complexes. Around 21 scattered dairies in Tajpur have also been flagged for disposal of cow dung and dairy waste through the drainage system.
Haibowal Dairy Complex is another major source of concern. Official information submitted before the NGT has stated that the discharge from the complex was entering the nullah daily. It had also estimated that around 500 tonnes of cow dung a day was entering the water body from the Tajpur Road and Haibowal dairy clusters.
The lifting of cow dung has also remained a concern despite tenders having been allotted for the work at both dairy complexes.
At the Barewal drain, dairy wastewater becomes another problem when the drain fills up. The accumulated water is subsequently released and reaches the nullah.
Illegal discharge points not only concern
The illegal discharge points are not the only concern. Untreated sewage was found being bypassed at Balloke on August 26, 28 and 29 and diverted towards the nullah without treatment.
The bypass is particularly worrying as Balloke has major sewage treatment infrastructure. Official records show that Ludhiana has six sewage treatment plants, including plants with capacities of 152 MLD, 60 MLD and 105 MLD at Balloke. The city also has the 225 MLD Jamalpur STP and plants at Bhattian.
Despite the availability of the infrastructure, untreated sewage continues to reach the nullah.
NGT had set deadline in 2020
The problem has been flagged for several years. The NGT monitoring committee had directed the MC to plug 16 outlets carrying untreated domestic sewage directly into the nullah and divert the discharge to nearby sewage treatment plants.
The committee had fixed June 30, 2020, as the deadline for closing the outlets.
The continued reporting of illegal discharge points years after the deadline indicates that the problem of unauthorised sewage routes has not been permanently resolved.
Pollution levels show a mixed picture
Recent monitoring shows that pollution levels have improved at some locations but the results remain mixed.
Downstream of the Balloke STP, the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) level improved between January 2025 and April 2026. However, total coliform levels rose during the period. At the Haibowal Dairy Complex too, BOD declined while total coliform increased.
The issue was also discussed at the review meeting of the Buddha Dariya Rejuvenation Project held in August in the city. Officials were directed to monitor discharge points and take action against those polluting the watercourse.
What officials say
MC Commissioner Ojasvi Alankar said the matter had not come to his notice earlier and that he had directed the PPCB to issue challans and take strict action.
“I am also directing my team to shut these points, which are directly throwing waste into the nullah,” he said.
Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Singh Seechewal, who has been involved in the Buddha Nullah rejuvenation work, said the situation was disappointing.
“It is a sad state of affairs that even after putting untiring efforts by my team, the authorities are least interested in the Budhha Nullah rejuvenation project. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had recently visited the city and told officials to speed up the work and not allow any pollution into the nullah. But on the ground, the authorities of the MC, Sewerage Board and PPCB are least interested in the project,” he said.
Seechewal said he had attended 42 meetings related to the Buddha Nullah project and that his team had regularly shared information about illegal outlets and other shortcomings. “We have been regularly giving updates about illegal outlets and other shortcomings but nothing has been done on the ground,” he said.
The Tribune