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Ludhiana: Crackdown against dairy units, 60 challaned in month
Designated sites are there for disposal of cow dung, but several dairy units continue to discharge untreated waste into open drains, say Ludhiana Municipal Corporation officials
The Municipal Corporation (MC) has issued 60 challans and recommended 65 FIRs over the past one month against polluting dairy units in the Tajpur Road area. Officials said the move came after repeated violations by dairy owners who continue to dump cow dung and waste in open areas, choking the effluent treatment plant (ETP) and posing a serious environmental threat, they said.
Despite designated sites being provided for the disposal of cow dung, several dairy units have been discharging untreated waste into open drains and throwing dung outside their units. The poor waste management has not only led to foul smell and unhygienic conditions in the locality but has also impacted the functioning of the ETP, which has remained choked for several months now, officials said.
The Tajpur Road ETP was set up to treat the waste water generated from dairy operations, but officials said its efficiency has taken a hit due to excessive cow dung and solid waste being dumped directly into the drainage system. This has led to frequent blockages, which prevent the plant from operating at its full capacity.
To resolve the issue, the civic body had facilitated a two-party agreement recently between the dairy owners and a private contractor for regular lifting and scientific disposal of cow dung. However, the MC claims that despite this arrangement, many dairy owners are not following the rules.
MC additional commissioner Paramdeep Singh Khaira said, “We have given designated sites to dairy owners for dumping cow dung and have even facilitated a tie-up with a private contractor for lifting it. Still, many of them are throwing waste outside their units or into open drains, which is eventually choking the ETP plant.”
He added that such careless behaviour is not only damaging public infrastructure but also leading to pollution of nearby residential areas and water bodies. MC officials said they are keeping a close watch on the dairy clusters near Tajpur Road and will continue to penalise the violators. The civic body is also preparing to take further legal action to prevent damage to the environment and restore proper functioning of the ETP, the officials said.
Residents of nearby colonies have welcomed the MC’s action but have demanded stricter enforcement. “The stench and flies are unbearable. The MC must ensure the ETP functions properly and the dairies stop polluting our area,” said Ramesh Kumar, a local resident.
Officials said more inspections would be carried out in the coming weeks to ensure compliance with environmental norms and to prevent further deterioration of the area’s sanitation conditions.
