As major environmentalists, and locals are opposing the setting up of the proposed mega industrial (textile) park in Ludhiana demanding protection of Sutlej river and Mattewara forest, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday asserted that no river pollution will be allowed in the proposed Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel Parks at Koom Kalan (Ludhiana).
Mann, responding to a call attention notice moved by AAP MLA Hardeep Singh Mundian, categorically said that all environmental clearances and norms, as fixed by the Centre and State Pollution Control Boards, will be adhered to.
The Chief Minister also asserted that the environmental laws will be followed to ensure that there is no pollution of river water or any sort of health hazard for the people. “The ambitious scheme will help in attracting investments on one hand and opening new vistas of employment for the youth on another,” he added.
Notably, the Central Government has approved the scheme for setting up of seven PM Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel Parks (PM MITRA) in partnership with the interested State Governments, and the Punjab Government has sent the proposal for setting up of Textile Park at Koom Kalan.
Mann said that one of the basic requirements for the project is that the interested State Government should have ready availability of contiguous and encumbrance free land parcels of 1000 acres for this project.
Locals and environmentalists have been opposing setting up of textile park in the region primarily to save the Mattewara forest, Jaspal Kadar forest and Haidar Nagar and Salempur forests — all protected forests on the flood plain of the Sutlej from imminent disaster. The park is being planned in between the forest area and Sutlej, touching them from various sides, with the environmentalists claiming that all these are flood plain forests and common heritage of Punjab.