Patiala: Farmers, residents and social organisations from Dakala, Dudhar and nearby villages in Punjab’s Patiala district have opposed a proposed solid waste management and compressed biogas (CBG) plant, demanding that the project be scrapped over concerns about its environmental and agricultural impact.
Under the banner of the Anti-Dump Morcha, a delegation submitted a memorandum to the Patiala Deputy Commissioner and the Municipal Corporation Commissioner, warning of protests and legal action if the project proceeds without the consent of local communities, The Times of India reported.
The villagers alleged that the proposal was being advanced without adequate public consultation and claimed that the establishment of the facility would bring large volumes of municipal waste from multiple districts into the area.
According to the memorandum, the movement of hundreds of heavy vehicles transporting waste each day would increase dust, foul odours and noise pollution while raising the risk of road accidents on rural roads.
Residents said the region is already facing environmental stress due to untreated wastewater discharged into local rivers, seasonal flooding and emissions from existing industrial units, including a paper mill, a liquor factory, grain storage facilities and poultry farms.
They argued that the addition of a large waste management and biogas plant could further damage agricultural land, groundwater resources, livestock and public health.
The villagers have demanded that the complete Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and risk assessment reports be released for public scrutiny before the project moves forward.
“We demand that the complete environmental impact assessment and risk assessment report be made public immediately. An independent scientific body should evaluate the environmental and health impacts, and a transparent public hearing must be conducted in the affected villages before any further action is taken,” said Harjinder Singh Dakala, a member of the Anti-Dump Morcha.
The residents have urged the authorities to reconsider the project, saying local communities should be fully consulted before any decision is taken on the proposed waste-to-biogas facility.
