Education takes back seat as land meant for school in Ludhiana turns into cow dung dumping site

A 4,400-square yard chunk of land on Tajpur Road, allotted by the Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) for the construction of a government school during the Congress regime, has been turned into a massive cow dung dumping ground. The land, leased at Rs 1 per square yard per month, was meant to provide the Right to Education to children from underprivileged families in the area.

A boundary wall was raised, school maps were sanctioned and residents of nearby colonies like Preet Nagar, EWS Colony, Bhola Colony, Bhamiyan and Dhanansu had pinned their hopes of getting a quality education for their children on it. Instead, heaps of cow dung—up to three feet deep—ended up covering the site.

Former Congress MLA from Ludhiana East, Sanjay Talwar, told The Tribune: “The entire belt houses nearly two lakh people, most of them from poor backgrounds. After great effort, I got this land allotted for a school, even funds from LIT were used to construct the boundary wall. But now the school site has been reduced to a cow dung dump.”

A dairy owner from Tajpur Road, on the condition of anonymity, revealed that earlier dung from dairy complexes was directly disposed of into the Buddha Nullah. However, after writ petitions in the High Court and efforts by Balbir Singh Seechewal to clean the nullah, the authorities concerned cracked down on the dairies. “Later, a contractor from Doraha, said to have links with a senior Municipal Corporation official, started collecting dung from us for a monthly fee. The dung is dumped in this vacant plot. From there, where it goes, we have no idea,” he said.

During the rainy season, the situation worsens as dung mixes with rainwater and spreads, leaving residents in distress. Talwar alleged connivance between the contractor and MC officials. “If there was no involvement of the MC, why are their vehicles lifting the dung from this site? Why should land earmarked for a school be used as a dumping ground?” he asked.

Rajni, a mother of three from Bhola Colony, said: “We were so happy when we heard a government school would come up here. Our children would not have to travel far and spend money on transport but it has been two years, no such school has been built in the area,” she added.

The AAP MLA from the area, Daljit Bhola Grewal, confirmed that this land was meant for a school only. “But since the silting of Buddha Nullah began and tenders for lifting cow dung were to be floated, and no other land was available, cow dung was dumped here. But within a month, we will get this land vacated and construction of the school will begin,” assured Bhola.