Union flays deploying NREGA labour to clear sugar mill land for AAP conference

Tarn Taran, February 9

NREGA Workers Union, Punjab, has flayed the deputing of NREGA labour to clear wild growth from the land of the non-functional Cooperative Sugar Mills, Sheron, where the AAP is organising a political conference on February 11. The AAP is organising a conference to highlight its performance and policies before the public after the state government took over the Goindwal Thermal Power Plant from the private sector.

AAP supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann are slated to address the conference.

The district administration was on its toes to make arrangements for the conference. As the mill has been lying closed for 14 years, wild growth has come up on the land. The task of clearing wild growth from the 20 acres of land was being undertaken by NREGA labour. The work of clearing the wild growth has been started four days back. According to a rough estimate, 1,000 NREGA workers from different villages of the district were working at the site on Thursday (today). Ranjit Singh, Sarpanch of Jhamka village, said that he has brought 35 workers from his village as instructed by senior officials. Amarajit Kaur, one of the workers, said that she has been coming here for the last two days. Similarly, NREGA workers from Mannan, Pandori Ran Singh, Pandori Rehmana, Mallhia and other blocks were working at the site.

Ranjit Singh Shakri, district president of NREGA Workers Union, Punjab, said clearing of wild growth was not in the jurisdiction of the MGNREGA Act as it is not among the work that creates assets. Shakri said it was totally illegal and not morally right as NREGA workers have been called from other blocks too in case they could not be assigned work in their own parental block. The NREGA workers demanded a high-level probe and said it was a clear violation of the NREGA Act. Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Kumar, when contacted, said that job is to be given under NREGA where ever it is available. The DC also said that he was unaware of the matter and would seek information in the matter soon.