Day after FIR against MP, residents again oppose carcass plant

Tribune News Service

Harshraj Singh

Ludhiana, March 17

A day after Ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh Bittu and over 100 unidentified persons were booked for allegedly locking the MC’s carcass utilisation plant at Rasulpur Patti village near Noorpur Bet village here, a large number of residents gathered near the plant on Sunday.

Bittu also addressed the people who had been opposing the opening of the plant.

Significantly, after making efforts for over two years, the Municipal Corporation, with the support of the administration and police, had succeeded in making the carcass utilisation plant operational on January 15, 2024. However, it was locked on January 25 and is still non-operational.

On Sunday, again, there was opposition from a number of villagers against the issue, with concerns raised that its operation would lead to further difficulties and health problems for them. They raised questions over registration of FIR in the matter related to the locking of the carcass plant and claimed that the plant was set up on land designated for agricultural purposes near residences. They alleged that it could potentially contaminate groundwater and emit foul odours.

Balbir Singh, who lives in Rasulpur Patti, said they don’t want the plant to be made operational again.

He alleged that officials had previously misled them by stating that the Municipal Corporation intended to install a plant for preparing poultry bird feed. However, when it was established a few years ago, they learnt that it was actually a carcass utilisation plant. Balbir alleged that the MC had taken no nod from the gram panchayat to set up the plant.

The carcass utilisation plant was established at the cost of around Rs 7.98 crore under the Smart City Mission during the regime of the previous Congress government. The then Cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, along with the then Mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu, were supposed to inaugurate the project in the presence of MC officials on July 13, 2021. However, a large number of people from Rasulpur Patti and nearby villages along with members of a farmers’ union had gathered to oppose the inauguration of the plant. Amid massive protest by the people, the plant could not be made operational that time. Thereafter, the MC had made multiple unsuccessful attempts to make it functional.

Last year, a city resident had moved the National Green Tribunal (NGT) against the unscientific handling of dead animals and the non-operational carcass utilisation plant. The NGT had then directed the state PCB, CPCB and MC Commissioner to take necessary steps and submit an action-taken report as the plant remained non-functional.

Before the hearing in the matter, the plant was made operational on January 15, 2024, amid protests. On the same day, some protesters announced that they would permit the plant to remain operational only till a week. On January 25, it was allegedly locked by MP Bittu and others.

According to the NGT order dated March 5, a fresh report had been filed before the Tribunal by the MC Commissioner, stating that the carcass plant was made operational on January 15, 2024, and it functioned till January 25, 2024. Communications sent by the MC chief to the Deputy Commissioner of Ludhiana, enclosed along with the report, mention that on January 25, some villagers and political representatives came to the carcass plant, threatened workers and locked it. During the hearing, the NGT Bench stated that the report did not reflect any action against those who had illegally forced the closure of the plant. No details of any such FIR or the names of the persons responsible for the same have been disclosed.

The NGT order had stated that the state Chief Secretary should appear virtually on the next date of hearing and inform the Tribunal about the efforts made by the state authorities to ensure the smooth running of the carcass plant. Now, the next hearing will be held on April 5.

Opened on Jan 15, locked after 10 days

After making efforts for over two years, the Municipal Corporation, with the support of the administration and police, had succeeded in making the carcass utilisation plant at Rasulpur Patti operational on January 15, 2024. However, it was locked on January 25 and is still non-operational.

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