8 months on, dairy-shifting project hangs fire

Advertisement

Patiala, June 9

Even after an expenditure of Rs 18 crore, the dairy shifting project — the much politicised project of Patiala city — continues to lie in neglect.

The dairy owners within the municipal limits were supposed to be shifted to the corporation’s new dairy site at Ablowal village by September 30 last year, but even after over eight months they have yet not been shifted.

The first phase of the project was completed by September last year but the process was mooted after former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi intervened and directed the district administration to shift the dairy owners only on completion of making necessary provisions at the new site. The shifting process has been in limbo since.

Later, Mayor Sanjeev Sharma Bittu had submitted a memorandum of appeal with the National Green Tribunal over the matter and also raised the matter with the corporation and district administrative officials.

Meanwhile, city residents said the upcoming rainy season could soon choke the city’s sewer lines as most cattle waste continues to be dumped in them. “The corporation had spent Rs 15 lakh on cleaning the city’s sewer lines. With the dairy waste being dumped in them on a regular basis, the whole effort could go waste,” they said.

When contacted Sharma said: “The project has been pending for long, but the meetings for the same are supposed to be held soon. The corporation officials are busy managing the city’s garbage disposal and management system. We will be holding meetings regarding the project with the DC office and corporation commissioner soon.”