Chandigarh MC hires private firm to lift, process cow dung from gaushalas
The city MC’s four gaushalas, at Sector 25, Sector 45, Maloya and Industrial Area, house approximately 2,800 cattle; Trinix Impex Private Limited has been contracted to lift and process cow dung from these gaushalas
In an aim to manage solid waste in the city and make gaushalas dung free, the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation (MC) has hired a private firm, Trinix Impex Private Limited, to lift cow dung from the city’s gaushalas.
The city MC’s four gaushalas, at Sector 25, Sector 45, Maloya and Industrial Area, house approximately 2,800 cattle.
After lifting solid waste from MC’s four gaushalas, the firm will process the dung to make fuel. The firm, on Tuesday, started work at the gaushalas in Sector 25 and Sector 45.
Almost all of the solid waste from MC’s cattle pounds is currently being dumped in seasonal rivulets. This often results in choked storm sewers and drains.
MC commissioner Anindita Mitra said, “The civic body is responsible for stray cattle management and disposal of solid waste. A huge quantity of cow dung is produced daily from the stray cattle housed in the four gaushalas. In the absence of a system for its disposal, the dung was being washed into drains, often choking them. To solve this problem, the MC had decided to auction the cow dung.”
The commissioner added that an open auction was held and the contract for removal of cow dung was given to the firm at ₹101 per metric tonne (MT) for a period of five years.
MC working to improve stray cattle management
Besides making the gaushalas dung free, Chandigarh civic body is taking several steps to improve stray cattle management in the city.
“Recently, MCC put three new cattle catching units into service. The new gaushala at Raipur Kalan, with a capacity to house 900 animals, is ready and will be operational soon. The MC is also setting up Effluent Treatment Plants at all 4 gaushalas to treat liquid waste,” commissioner Mitra said.
Pilot project to set up 10 processing machines
The civic body will a start a pilot project for processing cow dung to make fuel. A total of 10 machines, at an approximate cost of ₹55,000 each, will be purchased and set up to process the dung and make briquettes.
Commissioner Mitra said, “We have placed the order for the machines and the pilot project will start soon. However, joining hands with a private firm seems like a quick fix as ten machines are inadequate to process all of the dung. Cow dung briquettes can be sold as fuel because of their high calorific value.”