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Mohali: Traffic hit as farmer groups protest SYL canal meeting
A meeting to address the SYL canal matter took place on Thursday, involving Union jal shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and the chief ministers of Haryana and Punjab at a five star hotel in Chandigarh
Ahead of a meeting to discuss the contentious Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue, five farmer outfits of Punjab held a protest opposing this meeting in Phase-6, Mohali, on Thursday and blocked Dara Studio Chowk.
Farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal was leading this protest. Bharatiya Kisan Union (Rajewal), Kisan Sangharsh Committee (Punjab) and BKU (Mansa) were among the outfits taking part in the protest.
Rajewal emphasised that Punjab doesn’t have any surplus water to share, advocating the sentiment, “No aab no Punjab (No river, no Punjab)”.
Another farmer leader said, “Our protest stems from the fact that Punjab lacks surplus water. We question the need for constructing the SYL canal, raising doubts about the purpose of these meetings.”
A meeting to address the SYL canal matter took place on Thursday, involving Union jal shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and the chief ministers of Haryana and Punjab at a five star hotel in Chandigarh. A team assembled by the Union government participated in the meeting.
The protest caused a significant traffic jam on the road leading to Chandigarh, with its impact extending to the Kharar bus stand. Simultaneously, there was a substantial police presence to prevent farmers from entering Chandigarh, with authorities stopping them near Dara Studio Chowk, a few metres ahead of ISBT in Mohali.
Naresh Kumar, en route to Chandigarh, found himself stranded near Verka Chowk in his car. He mentioned that he intended to reach ISBT, Sector 43, to pick up his father from the bus stand but had been stuck in traffic for the past one hour.
SP City Akashdeep Singh Aulakh said: “To ensure smooth traffic flow, three diversions were implemented—one in Kurali and two within the city. The farmers concluded their protest by 3 pm and traffic was smooth thereafter.”
SP City Akashdeep Singh Aulakh said: “To ensure smooth traffic flow, three diversions were implemented—one in Kurali and two within the city. The farmers concluded their protest by 3 pm and traffic was smooth thereafter.”
