Assam's Joysagar milk chilling plant lies defunct, locals allege waste of public funds

A milk chilling plant built over a decade ago at Joysagar in Assam's Sivasagar district has fallen into complete disrepair, with locals alleging that the project has become a symbol of wasted public funds and administrative neglect.

Constructed during the 2011–12 financial year, the milk chilling project was intended to boost the dairy sector by providing storage facilities for milk produced by local dairy farmers. The facility was equipped with expensive milk chilling machinery, a generator worth several lakh rupees and office infrastructure, while staff were also appointed for its operation.

However, despite the investment, residents claim the plant never became functional and failed to preserve milk from local dairy farmers even once.

Today, the facility stands abandoned, with the building and equipment deteriorating due to years of neglect. The premises are overgrown with dense vegetation, and locals say the once-promising project has turned into a "ghost building".

Residents alleged that no officials or employees have been present at the facility for months, while valuable machinery and infrastructure continue to decay.

The abandoned centre, they said, has now become a habitat for snakes and other wild animals instead of serving the thousands of dairy farmers who were expected to benefit from the project.

Locals have urged the authorities to investigate the reasons behind the project's failure and either revive the milk chilling plant or ensure accountability for what they describe as a complete waste of public resources.