Chandigarh, July 28
Five kisan unions — Bharti Kisan Union (Rajewal), Kisan Sangharsh Committee, All-India Kisan Federation, Bharti Kisan Union (Mansa) and Azad Kisan Sangharsh Committee — will hold a mass rally on August 5 at Amb Sahib Gurdwara, Mohali, on burning issues, including water crisis, polluted environment and danger to the federal structure.
Farm leaders — Balbir Singh Rajewal, Kanwalpreet Singh Pannu, Prem Singh Bhangu, Bogh Singh Mansa and Harjinder Singh Tanda — addressed mediapersons in this regard. Rajewal, said, “The state is going to face acute water shortage in near future as groundwater is depleting day by day and river water is getting wasted due to mismanagement of the government. Dams, canals, minors and drains are choked with silt due to lack of maintenance. Water does not reach the tail end villages. A major portion of water is still flowing to Pakistan. Only 27 per cent land is under canal irrigation in the state.”
The farm leaders said as water is a state subject, the Centre had no right to pass an executive order on the issue of water. The unnecessary intervention of the Union Government has complicated the water issue and the parties were politicising the matter, they said, adding that the masses concerned should resolve the issue among themselves.
The farm leaders said they would plant one lakh saplings by the end of August. They said the Centre’s move to take over Panjab University and amendment in the Dam Safety Act poses serious danger to the federal structure of the state.
BKU to block Rail tracks on July 31
- The BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) on Thursday held a meeting in Bathinda against the Centre over non-fulfilment of promises it had made to farmers last year
- Shingara Singh Mann of BKU (Ekta Ugrahan), said, “We have decided to block railway tracks on July 31 to protest against the Centre’s indifferent approach.”
- The farm unions will stage protest against the “Agnipath” scheme and failure of the government to act sternly in Lakhimpur Kheri incident
Water state subject, Centre can’t pass executive order: Punjab Farm unions
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