Pong dam oustees: ‘CM backtracked from his commitment’

The former MP, who is leading a crusade seeking justice for oustees, said more than 10,000 families of four assembly segments were dependent on farming in Pong sanctuary area as they had no other source of livelihood.

Former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Rajan Sushant on Wednesday unleashed a scathing attack on chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, accusing the latter of breaking his promise to let Pong dam oustees continue farming in the wetland area.

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Addressing a press conference here, Sushant said the CM has set an unfortunate precedent and a new low in Himachal politics by backtracking on his commitment.

The former MP, who is leading a crusade seeking justice for oustees, said more than 10,000 families of four assembly segments were dependent on farming in Pong sanctuary area as they had no other source of livelihood.

However, this year, the wildlife wing of forest department sent notices to the panchayats asking them not to carry out any agricultural activity in the periphery of sanctuary area.

“We met the chief minister during the winter session of state assembly and he had assured that the farming activities should continue in the area,” said Sushant.

However, the very next day the wildlife officials prevented the farmers from ploughing the fields, impounded tractors and tools besides registering cases against them, he added.