Mohali MC talks tough, 18 booked for running illegal dairy farms

Barma Singh said in his complaint that they received a letter from the Municipal Commissioner on July 3, requesting action against the people who were running illegal dairy farms and keeping cattle in the areas falling within MC’s jurisdiction. Barma Singh added that no one was arrested yet.

Two cases were registered at the Phase 1 police station. As many as nine people, including a woman, were booked by the police. Those booked were identified as Surjeet Singh, Santokh Singh, Pittar Singh, Rajinder Singh, Bhag Singh, Prem Singh, Satinder Kaur, Labh Singh and Arjun Singh. The accused belong to Mohali and Madanpura villages.

Last year, the MC decided to take action against the people who kept cattle but it took around 10 months to get the cases registered against the people who were flouting the rules. The civic body does not allow the keeping of the cattle and the running of dairy farms in the areas within its jurisdiction.

Mayor Kulwant Singh said that the action was taken after receiving a number of complaints about the people who leave their cattle in the parks for grazing. He added that the stray cattle had become a menace as these roam on roads and lead to road accidents.

“If we do not allow people to keep cattle, it will also help keep the city clean. We have identified land at Behlolpur village to set up a Milk Colony. Now we shall not allow people to keep cattle and run dairy farms in the city,” the mayor said.

People used to keep cattle in the villages located on the periphery of Mohali but after six villages Sohana, Kumbra, Madanpura, Mohali village, Shahi Majra and Matour were included within MC limits in 2015, the bylaws for keeping the cattle and running the dairy farms were changed.