Zira protesters promise to join probe teams on Tuesday

FEROZEPUR: Sanjha Morcha, which is now leading the Zira protest against Malbros International Private Limited, an alcohol-making unit at Mansurwal village of Zira assembly segment in Ferozepur, on Tuesday, said that protesters will join probe committees formed by the state government to investigate allegations of pollution against the factory

FEROZEPUR: Sanjha Morcha, which is now leading the Zira protest against Malbros International Private Limited, an alcohol-making unit at Mansurwal village of Zira assembly segment in Ferozepur, on Tuesday, said that protesters will join probe committees formed by the state government to investigate allegations of pollution against the factory. However, the protesters made it clear that their representatives will not join the probe team of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB).

The protesters had a meeting with a team from the administration led by Jaskaran Singh, commissioner of police, Amritsar, who has been specially sent by the state government to handle the situation.

This comes after the protesters had a meeting with a team from the administration led by Jaskaran Singh, commissioner of police, Amritsar, who has been specially sent by the state government to handle the situation. Ranjit Singh Dhillon, DIG, Ferozepur range was also present at the meeting.

“We had a detailed meeting with a team led by Jaskaran Singh, commissioner of police, Amritsar, today and got a positive response to our demands. Hence, our representatives will join the probe committees of health, soil, and animal husbandry but not the one from Punjab Pollution Control board (PPCB), on Tuesday,” said Sandeep Singh, a member of a committee which met chief minister Bhagwant Mann, a few days ago.

“We have given names of our representatives, and they will cooperate with probe committees, except PPCB. No factory can pollute the environment without alleged connivance with PPCB, hence, we won’t accept any probe by them and won’t cooperate,” Sandeep added.

Sandeep said that their representatives will accompany the probe teams who will collect samples on their identification. “We will also pick labs where the samples will be further examined,” he added.

Meanwhile, the protesters said that the administration has assured them that orders which suspended arm licences of 22 protesters will be recalled and the process to withdraw cases against them will also commence.

“The administration assured that the orders of revoking arm licenses of protesters will be cancelled after submission of application for the same by licence holders. The process to withdraw all cases registered against the protesters will also commence,” said Sandeep. The arm licences of 22 protesters were suspended earlier when the protests gained momentum.

“Given the prevailing circumstances, we have postponed our state-level protest at Zira on Tuesday but protest outside the factory will continue until its permanent closure,” added Gurmail Singh, another farm leader.

“Farmer leader Rakesh Tikat will join the protest on Tuesday afternoon,” said a spokesperson of protesters

Arun Sharma, additional deputy commissioner (Development), Ferozepur who is the nodal officer for probe committees welcomed the moves and said, “We have got a promise from protesters that they will join probe teams and facilitate sampling by respective committees from tomorrow.”

“Today all committees were ready to commence the process but following non-cooperation by protesters the process could not start. To hold a fair investigation into allegations against the factory participation of protesters is necessary. The high court had asked probe committees to submit a report within 10 days which now seems quite tough,” he added.

Ferozepur senior superintendent of police (SSP) Kanwardeep Kaur also confirmed the development.

“We had a detailed meeting which was presided over by Jaskaran Singh, commissioner of police, Amritsar. Ranjit Singh Dhillon, DIG, Ferozepur range was also present along with an 11-member committee of protesters. We have agreed to the demands of the protesters, like revoking the order suspending their arms licences and withdrawing cases. We will look into their requests positively. We can’t cancel the registered cases on our own but after submission of their application we will review the cases on merit and take further action in accordance with the law,” the SSP said

The police released all 44 protesters arrested under various charges in the last 48 hours, and it helped protesters and the administration have a meeting to defuse the confrontation. For the past 153 days, natives of around 44 villages, surrounding the factory, have been sitting on strike outside the factory.

5 farm bodies to support Zira protest

Chandigarh Announcing to postpone its proposed morcha to direct the government’s attention on the impending water crisis in Punjab, slated to start from December 30, the five farm bodies on Monday decided to join the ongoing protest of the farmers in Zira who are seeking closure of a local distillery.

In today’s meeting held here, the farm bodies who took part included Bharatiya Kisan Union (Rajewal), All India Kisan Federation, Kisan Sangharsh Committee, Punjab, Bhartiya Kisan Union, Mansa, and Azad Kisan Sangharsh Committee, it was decided that on December 30, these bodies will go to Zira in support of morcha in a convoy of 1,000 vehicles.

Farms leaders Balbir Singh Rajewal, and Prem Singh Bhangu said that after analysing the situation and taking into consideration the ongoing morcha in Zira launched by the people of around 40 villages against the liquor factory which has polluted the underground water of the area, it was decided to defer the launch of the stir against water crisis to January 17.

The next meeting of the farm organisations has been fixed for January 11.