Over 150 illegal dairies operational in Yamunanagar, Jagadhri twin cities

Shiv Kumar Sharma

Yamunanagar, February 27

Despite a hue and cry raised by the public, more than 150 unauthorised dairies are still operational in residential areas of Yamunanagar and Jagadhri, also known as the ‘twin cities’.

Residents have been facing a number of problems related to sanitation and health due to these dairies.

Sewerage choked

• Residents say when dairy owners clean their cattle sheds with water, cow dung gets discharged into drains choking the sewerage of their area
• Besides, several dairy owners dispose of cow dung at vacant plots, which attracts mosquitoes and flies
• Residents demand that the MC should take some concrete steps to shift these dairies to the designated complex

The Municipal Corporation, Yamunanagar-Jagadhri (MCYJ), has many a time, undertaken a drive to shift dairies from urban areas to dairy complexes, but the menace continues.

“There is a dairy in our area, which emanates a foul smell due to cown dung. It is difficult and unpleasant to live under such circumstances,” said a resident of a colony at Yamunanagar.

Residents said most of the dairy owners cleaned their cattle sheds with water every day and in the process, a large quantity of cow dung got discharged into drains choking the sewerage of the area.

Besides, several dairy owners disposed of cow dung at vacant plots in their colonies, which attracts mosquitoes and flies. Residents demanded that the MCYJ should take some concrete steps to shift these dairies from residential areas. The state government has developed four dairy complexes in Aurangabad, Darwa, Kail and Raipur villages, which are situated on the outskirts of the twin cities. As many as 668 plots have been carved out in these dairy complexes by the government.

As per record of the Municipal Corporation, Yamunanagar-Jagadhri, as many as 214 dairies are being operated from these four dairy complexes. These dairies have about 5,400 cattle.

However, more than 150 big and small dairies are still being run from residential areas of the twin cities.

Dairy owners said the complexes were located very far from the urban areas.

A dairy owner said if he shifted his dairy to a dairy complex, the cost of production of milk increased a lot.

“At present, my house and dairy are located on the same premises. All family members together handle the dairy work. This will not be possible in the dairy complex. As a result, the cost of production of milk will increase,” he said.

Several people have taken plots in dairy complexes, but they have not shifted their dairies there.

The authorities of the MCYJ are identifying such people to take action against them. Ayush Sinha, Municipal Commissioner of the MCYJ, said they would soon start issuing notices to the owners of such unauthorised dairies.

“We will make efforts to shift dairies from residential areas to dairy complexes in the next one month,” he said.