Shift dairy units out of city limits, reiterates PAC

Ludhiana: Annoyed over the fact that an effluent treatment plant (ETP) has been installed near Haibowal dairy complex instead of shifting dairy units outside city limits, the residents, members of Public Action Committee and other NGOs staged a protest on Sunday. They said the Rs 650-crore Buddha Nullah rejuvenation project will not succeed as long as the waste coming from dairies continue going to the MC sewer or in Buddha Nullah.

Member of PAC , Kapil Arora said, “Public money is being wasted on the installation of ETP because even after treating, with the waste coming from the dairy units, the right results cannot be achieved.” He said they have written many letters to the officials concerned about the issue, but they did not receive even a single reply. He said the dairy units need to be shifted outside city limits.

Arora said they are now planning to approach the National Green Tribunal ( NGT ) over the issue.

Recently, the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), on the direction of NGT monitoring committee has imposed Rs 3.6 crore penalty on the civic body because of the waste coming from the dairy units. After receiving the order, the MC had served the notices to the owners of dairy units asking them to pay up the fine.