Badal urges Seechewal to revive Budha Nullah

Sultanpur Lodhi, Jul 24 (UNI) Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh today urged renowned environmentalist Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal, who led the volunteer service to clean the historic holy Bein, to initiate the cleaning operation of Budha Nullah also.

Addressing a gathering at a function organised to mark the 8th anniversary of the volunteer service initiated by Baba Seechewal to clean the holy Bein, he said the Budha Nulah, which had almost become Maria (dead) Nullah, needs to be revived.

Lauding the efforts of Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal for cleaning the 160 kilometer long holy bein with help of villagers, Mr Badal said Baba Seechewal had shown the way how the rivulets could be cleaned and also demonstrate the method of using the treated water for irrigation purposes.

"It is the duty of every individual to keep the environment clean as government and non government organisations alone could do nothing without the help of the people," he said.

He directed the Local Bodies and Industries Minister Manoranjan Kalia, who was also present on the occasion, to take action against the industries for polluting the waters of rivers and rivulets in the state. Mr Badal told the Minister to take care that the polluted water was not thrown in the natural water streams.

He said that he had even received calls from Rajasthan Chief Minister complaining that people in Rajasthan were receiving polluted water from Punjab which they were using for drinking purposes.

Speaking on the occasion, Baba Seechewal said that although with the effort of people they had cleaned the Bein but the flow of dirty water to the Bein is still on. "If the government is really serious in cleaning the Budha Nullah, it should make efforts to stop the flow of polluted and dirty water into the Nulluh," he said.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister announced that four treatment plants would be installed at Dasuya, Tanda, Begowal and Bholath at the cost of Rs 27 crores to stop the sewage water of these towns flowing into the holy bein.

UNI XC PS MMS2000