As many as 400 dairy complex owners in Haibowal have issued an ultimatum to the authorities, warning that if no permanent solution is found for wastewater management from dairy complexes, they will stage a protest on the main Haibowal-Hambran road on Wednesday with their cows and buffaloes.
The dairy owners said the administration would be held responsible for any inconvenience or disruption caused to the general public during the protest.
Vice-President of the Dairy Farmers’ Union, Satwinder Singh, said the government had restricted dairy owners to discharging 100 litres of wastewater per animal, a limit he termed inadequate, especially during the prevailing heatwave conditions.
“In this sultry weather, an animal consumes up to 60 litres of water daily. Besides drinking water, animals need to be bathed and the premises require regular cleaning. Earlier, we used to bathe them twice a day due to excessive heat, but after the 100-litre cap was imposed, animals are being bathed only once in 24 hours. They still have to answer nature’s call and the surroundings must be cleaned. At least during summers, the limit should be increased to 250 litres per animal,” Singh said.
President of the Haibowal Dairy Complex Union, Kuldip Singh Lahoria, has given the call for tomorrow’s protest. He warned that if the issue remains unresolved, dairy owners may bring their animals onto city roads in the coming days.
However, AAP MP and environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal criticised the dairy owners’ approach and said responsibility for adhering to environmental norms rests with them.
Seechewal alleged that many dairy owners were keeping far more animals than permitted capacity.
“An owner with space for 10 animals is keeping three to four times more to maximise profits. Rules have been framed and must be followed. In pursuit of financial gains, many dairy owners are ignoring regulations, leaving authorities with no option but to act strictly against them,” he said.
He also pointed out that dairy farmers had recently increased milk prices by Rs 5 per litre and should therefore comply with prescribed norms.
It may be mentioned that there are nearly 400–450 dairy complexes in Haibowal and over 150 on Tajpur Road, housing more than 60,000 animals collectively.
Though the government has installed treatment facilities, dairy owners claim these are insufficient as wastewater generation far exceeds their designed capacity. In such situations, untreated waste is allegedly discharged directly into the Buddha Nullah.
As extensive efforts are underway to clean Buddha Nullah, which has long been linked to serious health concerns, the administration has tightened the noose by imposing fines, disconnecting power supply and registering FIRs against violators.
However, pollution of Buddha Nullah is not attributed to dairy complexes alone. Allegations persist that domestic sewage and discharge from dyeing units also contribute substantially to contamination. Experts and environmental activists maintain that wastewater treatment plants are receiving far more effluent than their sanctioned capacity, collectively posing a serious environmental and public health challenge.
