Carcass plant: Pressure mounts on officials as NGT hearing approaches

Manav Mander
Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, August 3
As the date of hearing in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) regarding the carcass plant is drawing near, pressure is mounting on the district administration and the Municipal Corporation.
While the NGT is pressing upon the authorities to start the plant located at Rasulpur village but residents are not letting the same get started with the fear of its adverse affects on their health.
Left with no other option, officials are now looking for an alternative location and have even visited the industrial hub near Ladhowal
where the Punjab Agro Department has about 200 acres of land.
Every time the officials go to the village to hold talks with the residents or try to get the plant started, they have to return back empty handed.
The Municipal Corporation has submitted a detailed report regarding the current situation of the carcass plant with the Deputy Commissioner, which has been further submitted to the government. Now, the final decision, whether to shut the plant or shift it to any other location, will be taken by the government.
Municipal Commissioner Sandeep Rishi had said it would not be possible to start the plant at the present location due to law and order situation. Still, efforts were on and they were also looking for an alternative location.
Balbir Singh, former sarpanch of Rasulpur village, said they would not allow the carcass plant to open here as it poses serious health hazard as dead animals would be bought here and would also emit foul smell.
The plant was constructed at a cost of around Rs 7.98 crore and was supposed to be inaugurated in July 2021. But it faced opposition from residents. The authorities tried to make it operational in December 2022 but were unsuccessful and then again an attempt was made in July 2023 but faced opposition from residents.
However, on January 15 this year, the MC, with the support of the administration and police officials, managed to make the plant functional only for 10 days and again faced opposition from the villagers. MP Ravneet Bittu also supported the protesting residents and locked the plant.
The illegal ‘hadda rodi’ (carcass disposal point) was functional on the banks of the Sutlej and was closed as it was polluting the river.
The new plant is equipped with modern and scientific equipment and machinery in which cattle carcasses would be disposed off/processed to create poultry feed supplements and fertilisers.

Was supposed to be opened in July 2021
The carcass plant was constructed at a cost of around ~7.98 crore and was supposed to be inaugurated in July 2021. But it faced opposition from residents. The authorities tried to make it operational in December 2022 but were unsuccessful and then again an attempt was made in July 2023 but faced opposition from residents. On January 15 this year, the MC, with the support of the administration and police officials, managed to make the plant functional only for 10 days and again faced opposition.