'Nallahs' in Punjab to soon turn into green belts

NewsBharati    09-Feb-2018
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Chandigarh, February 9: 'Nallahs' (Drains) in Punjab soon will be turned into green belts that will give a positive impact and benefit to mankind. Notably, keeping the agenda of tackling the problem of 'Nallahs' (Drains) flowing in major cities of Punjab in an effective way, the state government has signed the MoU with National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI).

 

The MoU was signed between Punjab Government and National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) to turn all the 'Nallahs' into green belts on Thursday. Terming the pathetic condition of the ‘Nallahs’ as the alarming situation for Punjab, Local Government Minister Navjyot Singh Sidhu said that nallahs were covered at places and shops were made on that preventing the de-siliting as well.

“Nallahs in Punjab had become the dumping grounds for the Industrial waste, building material and dead animals, completing making the place an eyesore and toxic. This needed to stop and a solution was needed which has been found now,” he added.

Minister Sidhu further said that this project to clean the ‘Nallahs’ will be launched in a phased manner from March this year in the cities of Punjab including Amritsar, Jalandhar, Patiala and Budha Nallah of Ludhiana. The Minister also examined a detailed presentation by the NEERI team.

The minister also divulged that once these projects are complete, these ‘Nallah’s that are eyesores and give pungent smells will turn into lungs of the cities. He further said that this technology by NEERI would see plantation being done in the ‘Nallahs’ and water will be cleaned by using advanced technology. Moreover, the water treated through this technology will be fit for gardening, flushing and even irrigation.

The minister further said that cost of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) upgradation and maintenance would be 1/4th of that of the upgradation to SBR technology. The Minister, in the end, expressed strong hope that things would change for the better in around two years after the formalities are completed.