Ahead of the meeting of the special task force (STF) constituted to facilitate the shifting of over 500 diary units outside city limits, municipal commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal conducted a meeting with dairy owners of Haibowal and Tajpur road dairy complexes at Zone D office of the MC on Wednesday.
The dairy owners have consented to the shifting, but they demanded that the government should establish complexes outside the MC limits with all facilities required to treat dairy waste and cow dung.
As per the information, there are over 400 dairy units in Haibowal dairy complex and around 130 in Tajpur road dairy complex.
The administration had been contemplating shifting of dairy units as their owners have been dumping dairy waste and cow dung in the Buddha Nullah. But, the project has been hanging fire for a long time.
Earlier, the state government had also planned to establish effluent treatment plants (ETP) to deal with the waste generated under a Rs 650-crore project sanctioned by the state government.
“The dairy owners have also given their consent to moving out of the city limit, but, they have put forward few demands, which will now be tabled in front of the government. A solution will also be found for scattered dairy units operational in the city,” Sabherwal said.
As per MC officials, there are around 200 dairy units which are operational in different parts of the city including residential areas. Dumping of waste in the sewer lines chokes them, becoming an inconvenience for residents.
Joginder Malhotra, general secretary of Tajpur road dairy owners association, said, “We were shifted to the dairy complexes for which the agreement was signed in 1973. If the administration wants us to move out, we are ready, but they should establish complexes for us at Tajpur road and Hambran road (outside MC limits). Also, arrangements should be made in those complexes to deal with dairy waste and cow dung. The plots should also be made available at reasonable prices.”
Report on encroachments likely to be tabled in STF meeting
The MC, revenue and drainage departments had recently initiated an exercise to identify encroachments alongside the Buddha Nullah so that the nullah’s width can be increased.
Officials said the report regarding this might be tabled in front of STF members during the meeting.
Due to permanent encroachments alongside the nullah, the width of the nullah has decreased, due to which the nullah also overflows during monsoons.
Also, the NGT monitoring committee had earlier directed the administration to work for beautification of the drain by taking up plantation drives.
