Shift to plots allotted in project site by Dec 25: Mayor to dairy owners

In order to relocate dairies operating within the municipal limits of Patiala to a more organised and hygienic location, strict directions have been issued regarding the Sri Guru Nanak Dev Dairy Project by Municipal Corporation (MC) Mayor Kundan Gogia and Commissioner Parmjeet Singh.

No storm water system in city

The city has no stormwater sewer system to utilise the rainwater. It was in 2019 that the Patiala Municipal Corporation (PMC) got the entire 504 km stretch of the sewer line in the city cleaned, both manually and mechanically. An amount of Rs 12 crore was spent on the project.

The Mayor and Commissioner categorically stated that all dairy owners, who had been allotted plots in the dairy project, must shift to the project site by December 25 without failure.

Under the dairy project, around 150 dairy farms were to be shifted outside the city limits, but the allotment of plots was not initiated.

Gogia and Parmjeet Singh stated that 65 dairy owners within the Patiala municipal limits were allotted plots in Sri Guru Nanak Dev Dairy Project in the year 2021. As per rules, these dairy owners had already deposited the required five per cent of the allotment amount with the Municipal Corporation, Patiala.

However, despite allotment of plots and depositing the mandatory amount, none of the dairy owners shifted to the project site till date, resulting cleanliness and environmental issues within the city limits.

The MC Commissioner warned that if any dairy owner failed to shift within the stipulated time frame, his plot allotment would be cancelled immediately, and the five per cent deposited amount be forfeited. Thereafter, the dairy owner concerned would have to apply afresh for allotment as per new procedures, he said.

Mayor and Commissioner further made it clear that such owners would not be permitted to continue dairy operations at their existing locations under any circumstances.

The Mayor and Commissioner emphasised that the Patiala Municipal Corporation was fully committed to making the city clean, beautiful, and environmentally sustainable. “Any negligence in this regard will not be tolerated,” they said.

The city regularly grapples with the issue of stagnation of rain and sewer water during the monsoon. The areas around Khalsa Mohalla, Safabadi Gate and Dhobi Ghat in Chhoti Baradari are the most affected by stagnant rainwater as drains get choked after dumping of dairy waste.