Ludhiana: Dairy owners from the Haibowal Dairy Complex have deferred their planned protest after civic officials called them for a meeting on Thursday to discuss their grievances. Sources indicated that officials requested the dairy owners to postpone the demonstration scheduled for Wednesday in light of the Ludhiana visit of AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
The dairy owners had intended to stage a protest on Hambran Road alongside their cattle to highlight the failure of the effluent treatment plant (ETP), which is unable to handle the wastewater load from all dairy units. They also pointed out that even cemented roads in the complex have developed potholes.
Association's Response
Paramjit Singh Bobby, Chairman of the Dairy Complex Haibowal Association, expressed hope that the meeting would allow them to discuss the issues in detail. He added that they would wait for a week for a resolution, after which they would launch a massive protest if their demands are not met.
Civic Official's Statement
Area councillor Indu Munish Shah acknowledged the problem, stating, We will get the issue resolved, but due to excess water coming from dairy units, the effluent treatment plant is not able to take the load. The ETP is not functioning properly, and the main cause is poor processing of cow dung. An additional biogas plant was to be installed in this dairy complex, but nothing has happened till date.
A civic body official said they have asked dairy owners to install water meters to measure water consumption in their units. He added that the problem would be resolved only after the facts were verified.
