Nearly five years after the municipal corporation spent around ₹8 crore on establishing a carcass disposal plant at Nurpur Bet under the Smart City project, the facility continues to remain defunct, with the civic body still unable to identify an alternative site for its relocation amid repeated public opposition.The defunct carcass plant at Nurpur Bet in Ludhiana on Wednesday. (Gurpreet Singh/HT)The plant was set up in 2021 to scientifically dispose of dead animals and address public health concerns caused by carcasses lying in open areas. However, residents of Nurpur Bet opposed its functioning from the outset, alleging that the facility would lead to foul smell and air pollution in the area.Due to sustained protests, the plant could never become fully operational, forcing the district administration last year to initiate plans for its relocation.Officials said a committee comprising representatives of the municipal corporation, Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) and Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) was constituted to identify suitable land for shifting the facility. Relocation of the plant was estimated to cost nearly ₹2 crore.The committee had shortlisted a site behind the MC’s garbage dump in Jamalpur, but the proposal was later shelved after residents of the area also raised objections.“We have not yet found suitable land to relocate the carcass plant. Residents generally oppose such projects over fears of smell and pollution. Efforts are still underway to identify an alternative site,” said MC commissioner Neeru Katyal Gupta.Adding to the civic body’s troubles, machinery and equipment worth nearly ₹2 crore were stolen from the defunct facility on May 14.Officials said the machinery was insured.The project had also triggered political controversy in the past. In January 2024, former Ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh Bittu had locked the gates of the plant shortly after it became operational following protests by local residents.