The continuing accumulation of cow dung at Ludhiana’s Tajpur Road dairy complex has become a stark symbol of institutional delay and fragmented planning in urban dairy waste management. While the Municipal Corporation (MC) has initiated cow dung lifting from the Haibowal dairy complex backed by an operational bio-CNG plant, Tajpur Road dairy farmers remain stranded without a viable disposal pathway for solid dairy waste.
The resulting sanitation crisis is not merely an operational lapse; it reflects deeper structural flaws in the execution of the Buddha Dariya rejuvenation programme and the city’s broader environmental governance framework.
Unequal Infrastructure, Unequal Outcomes
At the heart of the problem lies an asymmetric infrastructure rollout. Both Haibowal and Tajpur Road dairy complexes were equipped with Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs). However, only Haibowal received a bio-CNG facility, which is essential for processing solid cow dung before liquid effluents enter treatment systems.
In the absence of a bio-CNG plant at Tajpur Road, solid dung continues to choke internal lanes and spill into drainage systems, undermining the functionality of ETPs. Dairy farmers argue that installing treatment units without ensuring end-to-end waste flow has rendered public investment inefficient and, in some cases, counterproductive.
Rising Input Costs And Operational Stress
The sanitation bottleneck has translated directly into higher production costs. Feed suppliers, unable to move trolleys through dung-laden lanes, now unload feed on main roads and charge farmers a premium for manual transport.
- Feed handling costs have risen from ₹11 to ₹25 per 40 kg, according to farmer representatives.
This increase comes at a time when cattle require calcium-rich green fodder, raising concerns over animal health, milk productivity, and farm sustainability.
Governance Gaps And Cost Anomalies
Recent decisions by the MC have further raised questions. The corporation has contracted a private agency to lift cow dung at ₹650 per tonne, substantially higher than the ₹425 per tonne paid for municipal waste elsewhere in the city. This differential appears particularly inefficient given that a significant share of dung at Haibowal is already diverted to the bio-CNG plant.
The absence of a similar processing facility at Tajpur Road means public funds are being spent on repetitive lifting rather than long-term waste conversion.
A Decade Of Deferred Decisions
The delay in setting up a bio-CNG plant at Tajpur Road stretches back over a decade. During the Congress government’s tenure, plans under the Buddha Dariya rejuvenation project initially proposed relocating dairy complexes outside city limits to prevent untreated waste from entering the river. That plan was later shelved, and ETPs were installed instead.
However, without integrated solid waste management through bio-CNG plants, the ETPs have struggled to cope, allowing untreated waste to continue polluting Buddha Dariya and clogging sewers and storm drains.
Environmental And Social Fallout
Between 2024 and 2026, persistent dumping and treatment failures have led to:
- Increased pollution loads in Buddha Dariya
- Recurrent sewer blockages and waterlogging
- Public health risks within dairy clusters
- Escalating protests by dairy farmers demanding structural solutions rather than temporary fixes
Association president Lovely Singh has warned that continued inaction could trigger coordinated protests, underscoring growing frustration among stakeholders.
The Way Forward
The Tajpur Road crisis highlights the need for an integrated dairy waste policy, where bio-CNG plants, ETPs, and collection logistics function as a unified system. Without urgent commissioning of a bio-CNG facility at Tajpur Road, Ludhiana risks perpetuating environmental damage, fiscal inefficiency, and farmer distress despite heavy public spending. For a city positioning itself as a model for river rejuvenation and sustainable urban dairy practices, the muck, quite literally, stops here.
