Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government succumbed to pressure after more than 10,000 people, including NGO workers, members of farmers’ unions and others assembled at the project site and threatened to start a movement against the project, reports Aayush Goel
In what has left greens across the state elated and hopeful of revival of environment on state’s priority list, Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government has gone ahead and cancelled the ambitious Textile Park in KoomKalan, Ludhiana.
Approved as part of PM-MITRA scheme, the project was dubbed as the last nail on degrading environmental health of the state and Ludhiana district in particular. The project was to be set up in natural flood plains of Sutlej river bordering one amongst few surviving forest patches of state, the Mattewara forest. Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann had in Vidhan Sabha supported the project. However, it took a u turn and scrapped it when more than 10,000 people – including politicians, members of farmers’ unions, student leaders, and NGO workers – assembled at the project site in Mattewara, vowing to start a permanent movement against the project.
“It was all politically and financially profit driven. The project would have not only disturbed the biodiversity of the protected forest, but would have also led to chemical discharge from factories into the river and make this area a cancer zone like other areas of Punjab. This move gives us hope that now the environment will be considered with importance. We have won this and hopefully be able to eliminate other threats in state and revive dying Satluj. Sutlej is the drinking water source of around 1 crore people who either consume it directly or indirectly.” says Dr Amandeep Singh, an environmentalist and member of Public Action Committee (umbrella body of over 50 NGO’s fighting against the project)
No Industry on River Banks: CM Bhagwant Mann
“I would categorically like to announce that not only in Mattewara but the state government will not allow any industry to come up on the river banks of Punjab to avoid any sort of water pollution. The site for the project was located near Mattewara forest and on the floodplains of Sutlej river but the Amarinder Singh-led government ignored the environmental and ecological costs of the initiative. The project would not only lead to water pollution in the area but also entail felling a considerable number of trees in the vicinity,” said Mann.
Flip Flop by AAP Government: Opposition
