The Punjab Environment Protection Department has decided to make the installation of wastewater treatment plants mandatory for all new housing societies in an effort to curb underground and air pollution.
According to official sources, a formal notification in this regard will be issued soon. The move aims to ensure that every housing society includes a modern treatment system to purify sewage water before it seeps into the ground. Both public and private housing schemes will be required to comply with the new regulations.
Under the proposed plan, each housing society will allocate at least one acre of land for the construction of a treatment plant, while eight kanals will be used within the society to treat domestic wastewater. Officials said the initiative is designed not only to control pollution but also to help recharge underground water levels.
An official from the Environment Department said that the decision will be implemented for all upcoming housing projects, and no-objection certificates (NOCs) will only be granted to societies that install treatment systems.
The department’s spokesperson stated that the government’s new policy will play a key role in reducing environmental pollution and improving the quality of groundwater across Punjab.
