Minister Arora Bats for Rapid Industrial Growth With Strict Environmental Accountability
January 28, 2026
ETT News / Ludhiana
Punjab Industries and Commerce Minister Sanjeev Arora announced on Tuesday that the state government remains firmly committed to balancing rapid industrial expansion with strict environmental accountability during a high-level dialogue with Ludhiana's business community.
The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) hosted the "Shaping a Greener Tomorrow" event on January 27 at the Hyatt Regency, bringing together state officials, technical experts from IIT Madras, and local entrepreneurs to address the city’s pressing pollution challenges.
Minister Arora, who also heads the Cabinet Committee for air pollution abatement, informed attendees that the government is actively facilitating a transition to cleaner fuels and modern infrastructure. He emphasized that the state is developing industry-specific parks with pre-approved regulatory frameworks to streamline the "ease of doing business" while protecting the local ecology.
PPCB Chairperson Reena Gupta told the gathering that ecology and development must function in a coordinated manner. She revealed that the board is progressively replacing traditional physical inspections with high-tech "e-surveillance" tools, including Online Continuous Effluent Monitoring Systems (OCEMS), CCTV, and GPS tracking to encourage industry self-compliance.
Experts from the International Centre for Clean Water at IIT Madras warned of rapidly depleting freshwater resources. They urged Ludhiana's textile and manufacturing hubs to adopt advanced water conservation technologies, noting that sustainable practices are now a prerequisite for remaining competitive in the global market.
Industrial representatives raised several critical concerns during the interactive session, specifically requesting the removal of restrictions on expansion for dyeing units connected to Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs). They also pushed for the recognition of more NABL-accredited laboratories and sought a faster rollout of Piped Natural Gas (PNG) supplies across the city's industrial zones.
Further demands from the entrepreneurs included the rationalization of consent fee structures and the empanelment of more expert agencies to assist the steel industry with pollution control verifications. PPCB officials assured the industry leaders that these demands would be reviewed in accordance with Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and National Green Tribunal (NGT) guidelines.
To support small and medium enterprises, the PPCB has launched a new policy featuring empanelled environmental engineers—largely retired board officers—who will assist factories with technical inspections and the application process for regulatory clearances.
The session concluded with the felicitation of several local industries that have already successfully transitioned to cleaner fuels, serving as models for the city's broader environmental roadmap.
Punjab PPCB Dialogue Sanjeev Arora Industry Meet Ludhiana Pollution Control Green Industry Punjab Ease Of Doing Business Cleaner Fuels
Recommended Posts
Latest
The News Feed
Most Visited Stories
