Dairy farmers operating along Ludhiana's Tajpur Road are confronting a severe sanitation emergency as the area's effluent treatment plant fails to manage the substantial wastewater generated by numerous dairy units. The situation has reached a critical point, with streets flooded by stagnant water contaminated with cow dung, creating unhygienic conditions that disrupt daily life and heighten disease concerns among residents.
Inadequate Infrastructure Worsens Crisis
Farmers have highlighted that the existing effluent treatment plant's capacity of 2.25 million litres per day (MLD) proves completely insufficient to handle the actual wastewater load, which requires at least 5 MLD for proper management. The president of the Tajpur Road Dairy Farmers Association, Satinder Singh Lovely, emphasized the core issue: "There is no proper system to lift cow dung from dairy units, and most of it ends up dumped in open areas." Rather than addressing the fundamental infrastructure gap, officials have reportedly asked farmers to reduce water usage in their dairy operations.
Immediate Consequences and Temporary Measures
The sanitation crisis has created practical operational challenges for farmers, who found themselves unable to unload cattle feed due to streets blocked by stagnant wastewater. The situation gained political attention when it was discussed during a meeting at the 225 MLD sewage treatment plant on Tajpur Road. This gathering saw participation from Local Bodies Minister Dr Ravjot Singh, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Singh Seechewal, and local MLA Daljit Singh Grewal Bhola, who strongly raised the issue.
MLA Bhola specifically highlighted the poor sanitation conditions and expressed serious concerns that milk produced in such unhygienic environments could pose health risks to consumers. Following these discussions, MLAs Daljit Singh Grewal and Ashok Prashar Pappi authorized a temporary solution: allowing wastewater from dairy units to drain into Buddha Dariya for one week to clear the flooded streets.
Longstanding Problems and Missing Solutions
While the temporary measure provided some relief, with water receding from some streets by Sunday, the fundamental problem remains unresolved. The scattered cow dung continues to contribute to sanitation woes. The absence of a biogas plant, proposed nearly a decade ago, represents a major concern that authorities have failed to address. Farmers insist that installing this biogas facility is essential for effective solid waste management and preventing the persistent problem of open dumping.
The Tajpur Road dairy complex, recognized as one of Ludhiana's largest, now faces mounting pressure to resolve these chronic issues. Until both the ETP capacity receives necessary upgrades and the long-promised biogas plant becomes operational, sanitation challenges will likely persist, leaving both farmers and residents in a precarious situation that threatens public health and dairy operations alike.
