Three sewerage connections snapped, 7 dairy farmers challaned in Patiala
Patiala, October 27
The Municipal Corporation (MC) and dairy farmers in the city are again at odds over shifting of city’s dairy farms to a new site at Ablowal village.
While the MC disconnected three sewerage connections and issued challans to seven dairy farmers for dumping dairy waste in the city’s sewer lines, dairy farmers said they were being harassed and forced to quit business.
‘Reduce plot ratesat Ablowal site’
We should be given plots at the rate of Rs 1,000 per sq yard. We are not getting loan for the purpose as we can’t provide collateral. Our demand that the MC should install sheds for dairy farmers has not been accepted yet. — Kirpal Singh, president, Dairy Farmers’ Union
Mayor putsblame on govt
Only 66 dairy farmers applied for allotment of plots at the new site. We are not liable to listen to demands of other dairy farmers. Also, the court has decided against them twice. It is a lapse on the part of the government that dairy farmers have not shifted out of the city. — Sanjeev Bittu, Mayor
An MC official said teams from the health wing and the land wing of the civic body issued challans over dumping of dairy waste into the sewer lines. “As many as seven challans were issued and three sewer connections disconnected,” said the official.
The official said the action was taken after the dairy farmers failed to shift to the new site and continued to dump dairy waste into the sewer pipes.
He said the MC had almost completed the Rs 19-crore project of developing a new dairy site outside the city. “There are 134 plots at the site. Various facilities such as a veterinary hospital and an effluent treatment plant have been provided at the site,” the official said.
Kirpal Singh, president, Dairy Farmers’ Union, said the farmers were being forced to shut their business. He said the dairy farmers had spoken to MLAs Ajit Pal Singh Kohli and Dr Balbir Singh, who had assured them that the price for the allotment of the sites would be reduced.
“Over 60 per cent of the dairy farmers have already left the business due to lumpy skin disease. If the corporation continues to harass us, more dairy farmers will leave the business, which would jack up the prices of milk and milk products in the city,” Kirpal said.
He added that the dairy farmers had demanded a reduction in the rates for the allotment of plots. “They should provide us plots at the rate of Rs 1,000 per sq yard. We are not getting loan for the purpose as we can’t provide collateral. Our demand that the MC should install sheds for dairy farmers has not been accepted yet,” he said.
