pollution V

Eco-warriors against river pollution
Rajay Deep
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, July 28
Accusing the state authorities of turning a blind eye towards the discharge of effluents into the state canals, the environment protection coordination committee announced that it would hold a protest march at Kharar on August 8.
Addressing a press conference here today, Kanwal Preet Singh Pannu, convener of the committee, and Rupinder Singh Mann, member of the executive body of the committee, disclosed the 25-point agenda of the protest.
Further, they alleged that the officials of the state pollution control board were involved in corruption for they were not keeping any check on the polluters.
Giving details about the protest, they said that on August 6, the members of their group would leave Ludhiana and march towards Chandigarh to reach there on August 8. At Chandigarh, the various groups of protesters would assemble and proceed towards Kharar.
During the protest, the state government would be warned to take immediate and stern action against the owners of the factories, who were discharging chemicals and untreated waste into the Budha Nullah, or the protest would be intensified.
In the list of agendas, the prominent points raised are to launch an awareness campaign for the preservation of the environment, use of manure, development of agro-based industries and protest against special economic zones (SEZs).