Punjab's first waste management plant begins functioning

Dera Bassi, Oct 3 (UNI) Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today inagurated the states first Common Hazardous Waste Management Plant at Nimbuan village.

This prestigious project is the first of its kind in north India and is a joint venture of Nimbuan Greenfield Punjab Limited (NGPL), the Union and the State Governments and industry under the Industrial Infrastructure Upgradation Scheme. When fully completed it would cost Rs 17.19 crore.

The Punjab Pollution Control Board in association with industry executed this project with funds from the state and central governments. The industries involved in this project are-- Vardhman, Nahar, Ranbaxy, Avon Cycle, Hero Cycle, Aarti Steel, Indswift Laboratires, Abhishek Industries, Trident Group and Steel Strip Wheels.

While addressing the public after inaugurating the project the Chief Minister said that industrial wastes and effluents recklessly discharged in the open drains were posing a major threat to the enviornment. He poimted out that a classic example of the gross negligence of the industry was the polluted Bhuda Nallaha.

He further informed that the estimated waste generated by the industry in Punjab was about 36,000 tonnes per annum (TPA), out of which Ludhiana alone contributed forty per cent.

Speaking on the occasion Science and Technology and Environment Minister Bikram Singh Majithia said that with the commissioning of the common treatment storage and disposal facility at Nimbuan, around 2700 industrial units of the state would be benefited. These units can now send their waste to this facility and vacate their valuable storage areas for expansion purposes.

Prominent amongst who spoke on the occasion included Local Government and industry Minister Manoranjan Kalia and Mr S P Oswal, Chairman, Vardhman Textiles.

UNI