Ludhiana, Feb 20 (IANS): Reiterating the firm commitment of the government to clean Buddha Nullah in Ludhiana, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday dedicated sewage treatment plant (STP) and other projects of Rs 315.50 for cleaning and rejuvenation of the drain.

The Chief Minister, while addressing the gathering during dedication of Punjab's biggest STP here, expressed concern over the polluted Buddha Nullah, adding this was the result of the callousness of successive governments of the state.

Mann said he had been raising this issue as a Member of Parliament too because the polluted water from the drain mixes with the Satluj river and causes havoc in other parts of state too.

He said the villages in Jalalabad (Fazilka) were worst affected by it but the former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who represented Jalalabad never did anything to solve this problem resulting in miseries for the people.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister said the newly constructed STP with capacity of 225 MLD will be instrumental in the cleaning of the Buddha Nullah in the city.

He said this will act as a catalyst in checking the water pollution in this nullah which was flowing in the heart of the city. Mann said 14 km of the nullah crosses from within the city, adding a detailed project has been chalked out for its cleaning.

The detailed project has been chalked out at a cost of Rs 650 crore under AMRUT and Smart City scheme. He said as per the funding pattern, the state government is spending Rs 392 crore on this project whereas the Central government is giving a matching grant of Rs 258 crore.

Mann said that on Monday, projects worth Rs 315.50 crore, including STP with 225 MLD capacity and others, were dedicated to the people.