Ludhiana: Drainage dept seals 39 ‘illegal’ sewer connections of dairy units

The municipal corporation (MC) has ‘failed’ to address the pollution caused by dairy waste from the complexes, leaving the effluent treatment plants (ETPs) non-functional.

The drainage department on Friday sealed 39 ‘illegal’ sewer connections of units Tajpur and Haibowal dairy complexes for allegedly dumping cow dung and other waste into the Buddha Nullah.

Rajya Sabha member Balbir Singh Seechewal during a visit to the Tajpur Road dairy complex in Ludhiana on Saturday. (Hindustan Times)

The action came after Rajya Sabha member Balbir Singh Seechewal filed a complaint over the pollution being caused by these dairy units. On Saturday, Seechewal alleged some of the units had already re-opened the sealed connections.

The municipal corporation (MC) has ‘failed’ to address the pollution caused by dairy waste from the complexes, leaving the effluent treatment plants (ETPs) non-functional. As a result, untreated waste, including cow dung, continues to flow into the Buddha Nullah, adversely affecting the ₹650-crore rejuvenation project.

Though a 2.25 million-litres-per-day ETP was installed to handle the waste from the Tajpur road complex, its connection to dairy units is incomplete. A proposed 300 metric tonnes compressed biogas plant to process cow dung is still in works.

In a December 29 meeting with cabinet minister Ravjot Singh and local MLAs, the MC submitted it was committed to managing cow dung until the biogas plant was operational.

According to officials, connecting dairies to the ETP before the biogas plant is ready could damage the treatment system as it is not designed to handle solid waste, such as cow dung.

The dairy complexes house over 26,900 cattle in 461 facilities.

The Tajpur and Haibowal ETPs, with capacities of 2.25 MLD and 3.75 MLD respectively, were supposed to be operational by now but it has not been done so far.

Despite repeated attempts, executive engineer Balraj from the sewerage department was not available for comments.

2 motors at temporary pumping station inaugurated

Seechewal on Saturday inaugurated two more motors at the temporary pumping station near the cow shelter, taking the total number of motors to three.

The MP said this will aid in stopping from the polluted Jamalpur drain from contaminating the Buddha Nullah. The drain, which was discharging untreated sewage into the Nullah for years, is now being diverted to the Jamalpur sewage treatment plant (STP).

This will redirect around 60 million litres of sewage every day.