Villagers, Activists Oppose Industrial Park Close to Forest In Ludhiana

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The commercial park will come up simply 5 kilometres away from the Mattewara forest.

Ludhiana:

A proposed industrial park in Ludhiana has sparked a confrontation between the Punjab authorities and the native villagers, who worry it can disrupt the ecology within the space.

Based on the plan, the commercial park — which can have textile models in about 1,000 acres of land — will come up simply 5 kilometres away from the Mattewara forest in Ludhiana district, 200 km from Chandigarh. 

The federal government had approached the villagers in Sekhowal to lend the panchayat land for organising the commercial park, following which 407 acres of land was agreed upon. However the villagers have now backtracked from the deal, saying they had been “tricked” by authorities officers.

“In Might the block improvement officer referred to as the sarpanch and different panchayat members and satisfied them park will likely be arrange on panchayat land. The sarpanch and panchayat members signed on the decision to permit authorities to utilise the land. We later realised that it was for industrial park and never a normal park. We won’t permit the industries to be arrange right here which is able to disturb our surroundings,” mentioned Kashmir Singh, who claimed to be a relative of the sarpanch.

Atmosphere activists have additionally joined the villagers of their battle. They declare that the proposed industrial park won’t solely have an effect on the forest but additionally the Sutlej river flowing close by. “This transfer by the federal government will destroy the environmental system. The textile park will launch its effluents on this Sutlej river and can harm it. Timber will likely be reduce. We nature lovers have organised committee and have written to the Chief Minister (Amarinder Singh) to assessment his choice,” mentioned Ranjodh Singh, an environmental activist.

The federal government, nevertheless, has assured that the the ecology of the place will stay intact. “We aren’t going to chop any timber nor we’re utilizing any land of the forest space,” Amarinder Singh assured. 

The chief minister’s assurances have nevertheless did not pacify the activists, who cite the commercial air pollution at one other Ludhiana waterbody, the Buddha Nullah.

“We all know what occurred with Buddha Nullah. The way it turned from a water stream to a unclean drain….the government has not been in a position to clear it up over years….and comparable menace looms giant on the sutlej river if industrial park comes up close to Mattewara forest space,” mentioned Ravneet Singh, marketing campaign supervisor, EcoSikh. 

Punjab has lower than three per cent of forest space and with dwindling underwater desk, the federal government should be sure that the state generally known as the land of 5 rivers is just not disadvantaged of its pure sources.



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