Ludhiana: Month on, state-level committee yet to act on carcass plant issue

Initially, two cabinet ministers were appointed to lead the committee to resolve the problems related to the carcass utilisation plant in Ludhiana district, but with recent changes in cabinet positions, no updated notification has been issued to clarify the current leadership of the committee

It has been over a month since the state government formed a committee to resolve the problems related to the carcass utilisation plant in Ludhiana district. The committee, established on August 17, was tasked with addressing these issues. However, according to officials from the Municipal Corporation (MC) and district administration, there has been no progress so far.

The carcass plant was kept open until January 22 after which it was locked again. (HT Photo)

Initially, two cabinet ministers were appointed to lead the committee, but with recent changes in cabinet positions, no updated notification has been issued to clarify the current leadership of the committee.

The status of the plant is also being heard in the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which, during its August 20, 2024, hearing, gave three months to finalize a decision regarding the plant’s future and next hearing is scheduled on November 26, 2024.

MC commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal stated, “We are in discussions with officials and local residents, and we plan to relocate the plant to a nearby dumping ground outside the city soon.”

Earlier, the state government had set up a committee under the leadership of Local Bodies Minister Balkar Singh, along with Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian, the Ludhiana MC Commissioner, and the district’s Deputy Commissioner. However, following changes in the cabinet, no further action has been taken, and the plant has remained closed since January 26, 2024.

The plant was initially shut down after former MP Ravneet Singh Bittu and local residents locked it in January. Since then, the MC and district administration have made several unsuccessful attempts to reopen it. Two months ago, a police-backed effort by the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM West) and the MC’s additional commissioner to reopen the plant was halted by local protests.

In an earlier hearing on April 5, 2024, the NGT had granted two months for action to be taken toward reopening the plant.

Recently, an executive engineer from the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) submitted a report to the district commissioner, based on observations made during a visit to a similar plant in New Delhi. The report detailed important issues and included photographs.

In January, the MC managed to reopen the plant in Noorpur Bet during its fourth attempt, but this sparked protests from nearby villagers, who voiced concerns about the plant’s potential harm to health and the environment. The plant was kept open until January 22, 2024, after which it was locked again by locals and the former MP.