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Punjab farm body opposes “privatisation” of water supply, launches five-day stir
BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) on Thursday launched a five-day stir to raise concern over contamination of water bodies due to alleged dumping of untreated industrial waste into them across Punjab
The Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU-Ekta Ugrahan) on Thursday launched a five-day stir to raise concern over contamination of water bodies due to alleged dumping of untreated industrial waste into them across Punjab.
Launching the agitation “Paani Bachao, Vatavaran Bachao” (Save water, save environment), union president Joginder Singh Ugrahan also announced to oppose the government’s alleged plan to “privatise” supply of treated water. The Punjab government is working on a World Bank-funded 24x7 canal-based water supply project in Ludhiana, Amritsar and Jalandhar. According to the union, the government is entering into contracts with corporate houses to execute it.
Protests were staged at 16 places across the state, including at Moga, Ferozepur, Faridkot, Amritsar, Jalandhar and Sangrur among other districts, on Thursday. The farmers’ body is also being supported by Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee. In Ludhiana, a dharna was held on the banks of Buddha Nullah. The farmers sought action against industrial units allegedly dumping untreated dyeing and electroplating waste in the drain which empties into the Sutlej, a source of drinking water in parts of Punjab and Rajasthan.
The agitation also includes a major protest at Daudhar village in Moga where Punjab’s first central water treatment plant has been set up with assistance of the World Bank to supply clean drinking water to 85 villages of the district. The farmers have also laid siege to the Trident Group unit at Dhaula village in Barnala, accusing the management of the largest textile group in the state of dumping untreated waste into the drain. The group had already announced to temporarily shut down major operations at the unit as a precautionary measure.
Participating in the agitation in Ludhiana, Ugrahan said: “The groundwater has been polluted by industrial units. Now, the government is planning to hire corporate houses for treatment and supply of water under these World Bank-funded projects. We are not against the projects as these are required because the depleting groundwater levels, but water should be free.” The farm leader said that the government should establish and run these facilities rather than involving corporate houses, “which will charge hefty amounts for supplying water”.
Addressing protesters outside the Trident unit, union’s senior vice-president Jhanda Singh Jethuke alleged that the control over the state’s waters was being given to corporate houses “as per instructions of the World Bank”. The union said that the agitation will continue for five days and if the government fails to pay heed to their demand, they will chalk out a plan to intensify it further.
(with inputs from Barnala)
