In response to Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Singh Seechewal’s claims of success in cleaning village ponds, including his model for purifying the Buddha Dariya river in Ludhiana, Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa raised concerns about the efficacy of the model, calling its success “debatable.”
Bajwa argued that while Seechewal’s approach—relying on natural treatment methods and community involvement—had gained attention, it was important not to dismiss the contributions of trained engineers and professionals from prestigious institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Punjab Engineering College (PEC), and Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology (TIET). He emphasized that engineering solutions, backed by expertise and innovation, had been crucial in shaping human progress and should not be undermined.
Bajwa further questioned the claims made by Seechewal regarding the revival of the Buddha Dariya, which has long been polluted by industrial waste, sewage, and dairy effluents. He pointed out that despite Seechewal’s model, social media activists and influencers had shared videos showing the river’s water still polluted, with foam, waste, and a foul odor, suggesting that the model had not made the intended impact.
Additionally, Bajwa noted that if Seechewal’s approach was truly effective, it would have been widely adopted in other regions facing similar pollution challenges. He referred to the example of the Yamuna River in Delhi, which remains heavily polluted despite praise for Seechewal’s model by former Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra in 2016. Bajwa questioned why the model had not succeeded in addressing the Yamuna’s pollution, raising doubts about its practical application on a larger scale.
Bajwa’s comments added to the ongoing debate about the viability and long-term impact of Seechewal’s natural treatment model for addressing pollution in Punjab’s rivers and ponds.
Be the first to comment