In Ambala's Mandaur locality, a dairy complex that was set up one and a half to two decades ago to relocate the city's dairies is still waiting for the basic infrastructure it was promised back then. Local authorities had assured dairy owners of proper facilities once they moved out of the city, but residents say that promise has never really been kept. Even a short spell of rain is enough to turn the complex's lanes into pools of stagnant water, forcing dairy owners to wade through filth just to move around.
From 150 plots to barely 35 dairies
Dairy owner Honey says around 150 plots were originally allotted here when the dairies were shifted from the city. But poor management and worsening conditions over the years pushed many families out, and today only about 35 dairies are still operating at the site. According to Honey, the rest either moved back to their villages or shut down the business altogether rather than keep struggling with the surroundings. Honey himself has been running a dairy at the site for 16 years and says proper drainage has never existed since the complex came up. No large, permanent drain has ever been constructed in the area, so both rainwater and everyday wastewater keep collecting on the main lanes instead of flowing away. Dung and slush are scattered across the roads, making movement difficult for residents and raising the constant risk of animals falling sick from the standing filth.
Waterlogging raises infection risk for animals
Dairy owner Ramkumar says the sanitation arrangements inside the complex are far from satisfactory. Standing water and filth keep the risk of infections and other illnesses among the animals alive, which in turn pushes up the cost of treating them. He adds that the internal roads are badly damaged, with dirty water pooling on them, forcing residents to wade through it every single time they head towards the city for work or supplies. He says the demand for a proper drain has been raised for close to two decades now, yet no lasting fix has come through from the authorities.
Vets charge more, streetlights stay dark
Dairy owner Dinesh says the poor roads and filth even discourage veterinarians from visiting the complex when animals fall ill. He alleges that doctors sometimes charge as much as one thousand rupees just for a single visit and treatment. The problems go well beyond water and hygiene, streetlights across the complex are also in poor shape, leaving large stretches dark after sunset. Workers struggle to carry out their daily duties amid the dirt and standing water, and looking after the animals safely after dark becomes even harder without proper lighting.
Dairy owners demand a permanent drain
Frustrated dairy owners have appealed to the municipal corporation and local administration to first build a permanent drain to solve the water drainage problem inside the complex once and for all. They have also demanded repair of the broken roads, regular cleaning drives, and proper functioning streetlights, so that every spell of rain does not turn into the same ordeal all over again for the families still holding on to their dairies here.
