Four dairy owners from Ludhiana’s Haibowal Dairy Complex have been booked for allegedly disposing of cow dung into drains, intensifying enforcement efforts against dairy-related pollution in the city. The waste reportedly enters the drainage network and eventually reaches the effluent treatment plant (ETP), contributing to blockages, wastewater overflow and environmental concerns.
Four dairy owners booked
According to police, two FIRs were registered at the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) police station following a complaint from a junior engineer of the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation’s operations and maintenance cell.
The cases name Gursewak Singh and Joginder Singh in one FIR, while Mukhtiar Singh and Pappu have been named in the second. The accused have been booked under Section 279 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to fouling water, along with provisions of the Northern India Canal and Drainage Act.
The latest action comes amid increasing scrutiny of waste-disposal practices at Ludhiana’s major dairy clusters, where inadequate waste-management practices have created recurring problems for drainage systems and nearby water bodies.
Buddha Nullah pollution remains a major concern
The action followed a review meeting on the Buddha Nullah rejuvenation project conducted by Rajya Sabha member Balbir Singh Seechewal. During the meeting, officials from the municipal corporation, Punjab Pollution Control Board and police were directed to take strict action against dairy operators found discharging cow dung into the Buddha Nullah.
The Haibowal Dairy Complex has faced persistent problems with wastewater and cow dung overflowing onto streets. Excessive discharge of water from dairy units has also contributed to pressure on the drainage network.
The latest FIRs are part of a wider enforcement drive. In July, the municipal corporation had already registered cases against 13 dairy owners for allegedly violating pollution norms.
Water-use regulations under scrutiny
Authorities are also focusing on the amount of water used by dairy units. According to National Green Tribunal guidelines cited by the municipal corporation, a dairy unit is permitted to flush up to 100 litres of water per animal.
To improve monitoring and ensure compliance, the municipal corporation has instructed dairy operators to install water meters. The move is intended to help authorities identify excessive water consumption and reduce the volume of wastewater entering the city’s drainage infrastructure.
The issue is significant because solid cow dung entering drains can combine with wastewater and obstruct drainage lines, increasing the risk of flooding and creating unhygienic conditions around dairy complexes.
Waste-management infrastructure under pressure
The environmental challenge at Haibowal is also linked to the gap between the volume of cattle waste generated and the capacity available to process it.
The dairy complex houses a large cattle population that generates hundreds of tonnes of dung every day. Existing waste-processing infrastructure has not been sufficient to handle the entire volume, leaving some waste requiring alternative collection, treatment and disposal arrangements.
A second biogas plant is being developed at the complex to increase manure-processing capacity. Such infrastructure could help reduce the quantity of untreated cattle dung entering drainage systems while also converting livestock waste into useful energy.
Biogas production offers dairy operators an opportunity to treat manure more sustainably. Instead of allowing dung to become a source of pollution, anaerobic digestion can convert organic waste into biogas while producing nutrient-rich digestate that can potentially be used as fertiliser.
Shift towards sustainable dairy waste management
The developments highlight the importance of treating dairy waste as a resource rather than allowing it to enter drainage networks.
Proper segregation of solid dung, composting, biogas production and other waste-to-energy solutions can help dairy operators reduce their environmental footprint while creating additional value from livestock waste.
For dairy farmers, compliance is increasingly becoming an important part of operating in urban and peri-urban dairy clusters. At the same time, the situation demonstrates the need for adequate infrastructure so farmers have practical and affordable options for disposing of or processing animal waste.
Effective manure management can also support the circular economy within dairy farming. Cow dung can be converted into biogas, organic fertiliser and other useful products, reducing dependence on conventional waste-disposal systems.
Stronger enforcement signals changing priorities
The FIRs against the four Haibowal dairy owners indicate that authorities are taking a stricter approach towards environmental violations. Previous enforcement actions against dairy operators, combined with efforts to expand biogas-processing capacity, suggest that Ludhiana is pursuing a combination of regulatory enforcement and infrastructure development.
For the dairy sector, the episode underlines a broader lesson: sustainable dairy production requires not only efficient milk production but also responsible management of manure, wastewater and other farm-generated waste.
As Ludhiana continues its efforts to rejuvenate the Buddha Nullah, effective dairy waste management will remain an important part of the city’s environmental strategy. The combination of stronger enforcement, water-use monitoring and expanded waste-processing infrastructure could help dairy operators adopt cleaner practices while reducing pressure on local drainage and water systems.
