FICO organized interactive session with Punjab Water Regulation and Development Authority

FICO raised the burning issues
Ludhiana: Federation of Industrial & Commercial Organization popularly known as FICO organized an interactive online session with Punjab Water Regulation & Development Authority where Mr. Karan Avtar Singh IAS Chairman Punjab Water Regulation & Development Authority along with Dr. Sushil Kumar Gupta Member & Mr. Surinder Singh Kukal Member of Punjab Water Regulation & Development Authority, interacted with the Stake Holders of FICO regarding the issues related to the Ground Water of Punjab. 

FICO raised the burning issues & the cumbersome process to obtaining the NOC for industries of Punjab to extract water from ground. FICO said that the Municipal Corporation Ludhiana is unable to provide enough water to the industry to cater the needs of the industry. Also, the issue of non-co-ordination between the government departments especially Punjab Pollution Control Board and Municipal Corporations have been highlighted due to which the industry could not get the permission to harvest the rain water in their premisis. 

Mr. Karan Avtar Singh IAS Chairman Punjab Water Regulation & Development Authority, said thanked the FICO officials to bringing the issues to their notice, and he said the department of working on the feasible solutions as National Green Tribunal is very strict regarding the vulnerable ground water levels, we need to develop a system to restore the ground water. He said their department will work in coordination to the industry. they are working on a model for use of stock water as well as the ground water, he said. The draft will be finalized by 15th October and same shall be implemented within a month after that. 

Mr. K.K. Seth Chairman FICO said that the process to obtain the NOC is very cumbersome and has almost impossible clauses to meet, he said there are many units in MSME sector who uses the water for domestic purpose only. So, Punjab Water Regulation & Development Authority, should consider keeping such units in green category with minimum documentation required. 

Mr. Gurmeet Singh Kular President FICO said that the rain water harvesting channels, all along the highway crossing Ludhiana are stuck up and non-operational, we need to clear them first and make them functional, moreover he said al the government bodies like schools, colleges, government buildings, ITI’s, PSPCL’s Offices, should be used for rain water harvesting through out the Punjab, which will provide a huge boost to the ground water levels. 

Mr. Vipan Mittal Vice Chairman FICO said that we are planning for Common Effluent Treatment Center for the Dying unit waste water, which will be treated as drinkable. So, he advised that the same water can be used for agriculture purpose, which will restrict the ground water drawing to some extent at the farms. 

Mr. R.K. Gupta Ex. Chief Environmental Engineer PPCB & Executive member FICO said that industry only uses a margin of ground water when compared to the amount of water used by the agriculture fields, so only industries should not be held responsible for all this act of indiscriminate drawing of ground water. 

Mr. Narinder Bhamra CEO LETS demanded that there is a need for a fresh survey in Ludhiana as according to the recent survey out of 17 zones of Ludhiana, 16 are over exploited and the water can’t be extracted from them. The industrial units should be allowed to use the submersibles with NOCs

Dr. Sushil Kumar Gupta Member Punjab Water Regulation & Development Authority said that there was an apprehension about the pre 1995 tubewells, that they do not need to apply for NOCs, but in the latest guidelines the NGT has cleared that NOC need to be applied for every installed tubewell.

Mr. Surinder Singh Kukal Member Punjab Water Regulation & Development Authority appreciated the FICO’s Concern regarding the water conservation and said as the Natural Water drawing systems have been closed due to the heave concreate jungles being constructed everywhere, so he advised all the stake holders to use the rain water harvesting models in their residential premises also, and to limit the use of water to the minimum possible.

Amongst Present were Mr. Karan Avtar Singh IAS Chairman Punjab Water Regulation & Development Authority, Dr. Sushil Kumar Gupta Member PWRDA, Mr. Surinder Singh Kukal Member PWRDA, Mr. K.K. Seth Chairman FICO, Mr. Vipan Mittal Vice Chairman FICO, Mr. Gurmeet Singh Kular President FICO, Mr. Manjinder Singh Sachdeva Senior Vice President FICO, Mr. Rajeev Jain General Secretary FICO, Mr. Ashpreet Singh Sahni Organizing Secretary FICO, Mr. Jaswinder Singh Bhogal Head Tractors Division FICO, Mr. Gagnish Khurana Head Agriculture Division FICO, Mr. Mankar Garg Head Plastic Division FICO, Mr. Satnam Singh Makkar Propaganda Secretary FICO, Mr. Vijay Mehtani Executive Member FICO, Mr. Rajat Sood Executive Member FICO, Coach Sushil Arora, Mr. Narinder Bhamra CEO LETS.