Col Jasjit Singh Gill urges Punjab CM Mann to meet Himachal counterpart over Baddi pollution entering Punjab
Seeks real-time pollution monitoring at Ghanauli as Sirsa River enters Punjab
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, August 22, 2026: Environmentalist and DISHA Committee Ludhiana member Col Jasjit Singh Gill has urged Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to seek an immediate meeting with his Himachal Pradesh counterpart to address pollution from industrial units in Baddi before it enters Punjab through the Sirsa River.
In a representation to the Chief Minister, Gill said pollution in the Sirsa River in the Baddi industrial area was a matter of concern for Punjab as the river enters the state and contributes to the downstream water system.
He urged the Punjab Government to take up the matter with the Himachal Pradesh Government as well as the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, arguing that pollution originating outside Punjab’s boundaries can have direct consequences for the state’s water resources and public health.
Gill has also sought directions to the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) to install real-time water-quality monitoring sensors at the entry points of major water bodies entering Punjab from neighbouring states, particularly Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana.
He specifically proposed the installation of a real-time monitoring station at Ghanauli, where the Sirsa River enters Punjab, to detect pollution levels before contaminated water moves further downstream.
Calls for pollution control at source
Gill said the most effective solution would be to reduce the pollutant load in Himachal Pradesh itself rather than attempting to address the contamination after the river enters Punjab.
He suggested that the Himachal Pradesh authorities should strengthen pollution-control measures in the Baddi industrial area, including ensuring that untreated or partially treated industrial effluent does not enter the Sirsa River.
Among the measures suggested by him are upgrading the Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) at Baddi, preventing illegal bypasses and leakage from conveyance pipelines, and ensuring that all industrial units are connected to an authorised and properly functioning treatment system.
He also called for strict action against industries operating without the required environmental consents and against repeat violators.
Gill said domestic sewage was another important source of pollution and called for improved sewerage networks and sewage treatment plants in Baddi-Nalagarh and adjoining settlements to prevent untreated domestic wastewater from reaching the river.
Seeks continuous monitoring and enforcement
The environmentalist has proposed a combination of online effluent monitoring, river-water quality sensors, GPS tracking and CCTV surveillance of industrial waste transport, along with regular inspections and third-party audits.
He said real-time monitoring should not be limited to data collection but should be linked to immediate enforcement action in cases where pollution levels exceed prescribed limits.
Gill also suggested that Punjab seek a coordinated mechanism involving the Environment, Industries, Urban Development and water-related departments of Himachal Pradesh along with the state pollution control board to monitor the Sirsa River and implement pollution-control measures.
According to Gill, the focus should remain on preventing untreated discharge at the source and reducing the pollution load before the river crosses into Punjab.
He said measures such as river-bank plantation, floodplain protection and drainage improvement could supplement pollution-control efforts but could not replace effective treatment of industrial effluent and sewage.
Punjab should monitor pollution entering from neighbouring states
Gill said Punjab needed a mechanism to monitor pollution entering the state through rivers and other major water bodies from neighbouring states.
He argued that installing monitoring stations at strategic entry points would help Punjab identify the source and extent of external pollution and provide scientific data for discussions with neighbouring states.
He urged Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to take up the issue with the Himachal Pradesh Government on a “war footing” and ensure that Punjab, as the downstream state, remains involved in monitoring the quality of water entering its territory.
Gill, who has also served as a member of the Punjab State Task Force on the Budha Darya Rejuvenation Project, said effective inter-state coordination was essential for protecting Punjab’s rivers, water resources, soil and public health.
He expressed hope that the Punjab Government would initiate discussions with Himachal Pradesh and take up the matter at the appropriate level with the Centre to ensure effective control of pollution originating from the Baddi industrial area.