Dairy farmers on Monday assured local bodies minister Dr Ravjot Singh and Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Singh Seechewal that they would dump cow dung only at the designated sites until the civic body hires a contractor for door-to-door lifting of cow dung, the minister said.
Meetings with dairy farmers were conducted in the Tajpur road dairy complex and Haibowal dairy complex to find a unanimous solution to stop the dumping of cow dung into the Buddha Nullah.
The meeting with the dairy farmers of Tajpur road complex was held at 225-MLD Jamalpur STP of the civic body while the meeting with dairy farmers of Haibowal dairy complex was held on the complex premises.
Minister Ravjot Singh said that the Municipal Corporation (MC) had already floated a tender for hiring a contractor for door-to-door lifting of cow dung from the dairy units. Till that time, temporary arrangements have been put in place and the dairy farmers have been appealed to dump the cow dung at designated sites in their respective dairy complexes. The dairy farmers agreed. The dairy farmers also agreed to pay a certain amount/fee, if arrangements are made for door-to-door lifting of cow dung, the minister informed.
The cabinet minister also listened to the grievances of the dairy farmers and issued directions to resolve the same as soon as possible. Dr Ravjot Singh and MP Seechewal also inspected an ETP established to treat the dairy waste on Tajpur road.
The minister said the government was not against the dairy farmers, but no one can be allowed to pollute Buddha Nullah. Dumping of cow dung in sewer lines is also affecting the working of sewer treatment plants (STP) and effluent treatment plants (ETP).
Ludhiana East MLA Daljit Singh Bhola Grewal, mayor Inderjit Kaur, MC commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal, late MC additional commissioner Paramdeep Singh, PPCB Ludhiana chief engineer RK Ratra among others were present during the meetings.
