Shifting of dairies set to begin in city

Patiala, January 21

The Municipal Corporation will open and allot tenders for the much-awaited dairy shifting project in the city on February 4. MC officials said they had approved the layout plan for the project that had been hanging fire since 2003. The project is coming up at Ablowal village.

The officials said the tender would be assigned soon once the bids were open. They said the work would begin soon on the 21-acre site.

All dairy farm owners will be given plots and shifted to the village. The plots will be given at government controlled rates. The overall cost of the project is estimated at Rs 13.53 crore.

The project was cleared during the SAD regime in 2016. The department had later decided to make amendments following uproar in the MC over land rates. Later, the MC gave approval for the layout plan after it was approved by the Directorate of local Government.

The officials said the project would help clear the city’s drainage pipes and litter caused by cow dung and fodder on roads after all dairies are shifted to the village. The presence of over 150 dairies within the city limits is one of the main reasons behind choking of sewers and resultant waterlogging. — TNS