Ludhiana: Jagraon SDM exhorts Akhara residents to vote amid poll boycott call

The residents of Akhara village in Ludhiana decided to boycott the voting after authorities did not take any action and allowed the construction of a biogas plant in the village

Following the announcement of boycotting the voting in the Lok Sabha election by the residents of Akhara village, Gurbir Singh Kohli, SDM-ARO, Jagraon, urged the voters of the village to participate in the biggest festival of democracy in large numbers.

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The residents of Akhara village decided to boycott the voting after authorities did not take any action and allowed the construction of a biogas plant in the village, despite several pleas by the villagers to legislators and senior officials.

The villagers are demanding that the construction be stopped. They argued that if the factory is allowed to operate in this location, it will contaminate the groundwater and pollute the air. However, their pleas had fallen on deaf ears, which forced them staged a protest in front of the factory demanding the authorities to stop the construction work on May 3.

Though police had pacified the protesters and resolved the matter, the villagers decided to boycott the voting. During this protest, Gurtej Singh, a leader of the farmers’ union, said the factory is being set up on five acres.

Kohli said the factory owner has all permissions and clearances, and Akhara residents should vote to show their unity and use this democratic right.

He appealed to the village residents not to stage protests in front of the factory and stop threatening the owner’s family members. He requested the residents to cooperate and use their democratic right of voting.