A public interest litigation (PIL) demanding a cleaner Buddah Nallah came up for resumed hearing on Thursday before a Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Tirath Singh Thakur.

PPCB counsel Advocate A R Takkar submitted that the electricity board failed to take action against the erring units due to political pressure. The status report by Punjab Chief Secretary R I Singh, which was filed today in the High Court, also confirmed the contention raised by Takkar.

An annoyed Bench observed that the PPCB should prosecute the PSEB employees if they fail to comply with the directions. Moreover, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has also been made party to the case.

In a blow to the industries in Ludhiana which continue to pollute Buddah Nallah on the pretext that there are no set norms for the dumping of treated or untreated liquid in the drain, Takkar read out relevant sections of the Environment Act which clearly state that zero liquid discharge is made to be applicable when there is no dilution capacity of a river or nallah.