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Buddha Nullah or Buddha Nala (Punjabi: ਬੁੱਢਾ ਨਾਲ਼ਾ) is a seasonal water stream, which runs through the Malwa region of Punjab, India, and after passing through highly populated Ludhiana district, Punjab, India, it drains into Sutlej River, a tributary of the Indus river. Today, it has also become a major source of pollution in the region as well the main Sutlej river, as it gets polluted after entering the highly populated and industrialized Ludhiana city, turning it into an open drain. Also, since large area in south-western Punjab solely depend on the canal water for irrigation, and water from Buddha Nullah enters various canals after Harike waterworks near Firozpur, thus affecting far-reaching areas such as Malout, Zira, upper Lambi, while the areas being fed by Sirhind feeder, are the most-affected by its pollution.

Ludhiana's prominent natural features encompass the river Sutlej and its subsidiary, famously known as Buddha Nullah. This nullah, now infamous as the city's most polluted water body, quietly courses through, ferrying pollutants continuously day and night. Originally, Buddha Nullah served as the city's primary surface water reservoir, fulfilling diverse needs like bathing, laundering, and even occasional drinking. Once packed with a rich array of fish species—56 documented in 1944—the growing urbanization and industrialization of Ludhiana acted havoc on its ecosystem. By 1984, only four resilient air-breathing fish species persisted, and today, the nullah stands devoid of any aquatic life due to overwhelming toxicity. The pollution of Buddha Nullah not only devastated its own biodiversity but also significantly slashed the fish yield in the river Sutlej, as confirmed by the State Department of Fisheries. Upon entering Ludhiana city, the stream becomes a receptacle for sewage and industrial effluents, accumulating urban waste along its journey. Ultimately, it ejects its noxious load into the river Sutlej in a manner grossly unsanitary. Buddha Nullah has transformed into a veritable sewer, inundated by copious volumes of domestic and industrial wastewater, as well as solid refuse from various industries and rampant garbage dumping. The nullah's pollution load fluctuates seasonally due to varying industrial output, worsening its already dire condition.

In 2006, a Ludhiana-based human rights organization, filed a case regarding the state of this nullah in the Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) and even invited environmentalist, Balbir Singh Seechewal, who had earlier cleaned the 164-km-long highly polluted Kali Bein rivulet with the help of his followers and without the government aid, to take the cause of cleaning up the nullah.

The severe pollution of Buddha Nullah extends beyond Ludhiana city, impacting the surface waters in Southern Punjab and even reaching Rajasthan upon its convergence with the Satluj river. This pollution not only harms the local flora and fauna but also jeopardizes the health and hygiene of millions of people. Additionally, it tarnishes the aesthetic appeal of the city. Urgent action is imperative to mitigate this pollution before it escalates into a full-blown epidemic.

A study conducted by Punjab Agricultural University in 2008, revealed presence of toxins and heavy metals in the food chain due to use of its water, to cultivate vegetables and other crops.

This was followed by another study by the School of Public Health, Department of Community Medicine, PGIMER, Chandigarh, and the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), which also showed heptachlor, beta-endosulphan and chlorpyrifos pesticides in concentrations exceeding the maximum residue limit in samples of ground and canal water used for drinking, the pesticides were also detected in fodder, vegetables, blood, bovine and human milk samples, indicating that these have entered the food chain due to the use of agricultural run-off and irrigation of field with drain water. With increasing poisoning of the soil, the region once hailed as the home to the Green Revolution, now due to excessive use of chemical fertilizer, is being termed the "Other Bhopal", and "even credit-takers of the Revolution have begun to admit they had been wrong, now that they see wastelands and lives lost to farmer suicides in this "granary of India".

Geology

Budha Nullah, literally means Old rivulet or watercourse. It originates at village Koom Kalan of Ludhiana and it runs parallel to the Satluj on its south for a fairly large section of its course in the Ludhiana district and ultimately joins the Satluj at Walipur Kalan in the northwestern corner of the district. Cities of Ludhiana and Machhiwara are situated to the south of the Buddha Nala.

Presently, sewage treatment plants of 466 MLD (48 MLD at Jamalpur, 111 & 50 MLD at Bhattian and 152 & 105MLD at Balloke) are operational for the treatment of the sewage of Ludhiana city.

Pollution

In June 2009, Ludhiana district administration imposed article 144 around the nullah, banning the throwing of garbage in it, but in the following months it was scarcely implemented, despite public outcry. In the following month, the Government of Punjab, allocated Rs. 500 million for the cleaning up of the nullah., and in August, the municipal corporation in a demolition drive, removed a large number of illegal encroachments from both sides of the nullah.

In September 2010, Member of Parliament representing Ludhiana, Mr. Manish Tewari, extended an invitation to the Honorable Minister for Environment and Forests, Mr. Jairam Ramesh, along with officials from the Ministry of Environment and Forests, including the Chairman of the Central Pollution Control Board. During their visit, they conducted a thorough inspection of the Nala and gained a comprehensive understanding of the severe pollution caused by untreated waste. As a result of this inspection, the Honorable Minister initiated site studies and commissioned a proposal for an 'In Situ Bio-Remediation Project.'

In 2020, the Punjab Government gave the green light to a Rs650 crore project aimed at reviving the polluted Nalluah. The Chief Minister issued a firm directive for the local government to complete the project within a strict two-year timeframe. Additionally, he entrusted the additional Chief Secretary (local government), Sanjay Kumar, with overseeing all necessary steps for the restoration of the 47.55km drain, 14 km of which passes through Ludhiana. The project was divided into two phases: the first phase would involve improving sewage treatment facilities, conducting surveys to identify missing links for industrial effluents, and laying a dedicated conveyance system for industrial wastewater, potentially directing it to a common effluent treatment plant (CEPT). The second phase, with a budget of Rs150 crore, would include the reuse of treated effluents, as well as landscaping efforts along the Buddha Nullah.

In December 2022, the testing of newly built treatment plants began.

In 2023, 95% of the work was done and in same year, 31^st December was marked deadline after already missing five dates due to delay caused by Covid19. The project was taken as the top most priority and the work was progressing fast to meet the deadline.

References

• Bio-remediation project announced for Buddha Nala, Ludhiana - MoEF Press release. (n.d.). India Water Portal. Retrieved April 2, 2024, from https://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/bio-remediation-project-announced-buddha-nala-ludhiana-moef-press-release.

• ‌Tnn. (2020, January 7). Ludhiana: Rs 650 crore plan for Buddha Nullah clean-up. The Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ludhiana/rs-650cr-plan-for-buddha-nullah-clean-up/articleshow/73130198.cms
• Express News Service. (2022, December 30). Project to rejuvenate Buddha Nullah: Testing begins at newly constructed STP in Ludhiana. The Indian Express. https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ludhiana/project-rejuvenate-buddha-nullah-ludhiana-8352944/
• India, T. (2023b, December 27). 95% rejuvenation done, Buddha Nullah close to turn into river. Tribuneindia News Service. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/ludhiana/95-rejuvenation-done-buddha-nullah-close-to-turn-into-river-576024