Barred from visiting drain, Khaira fumes

Charanjit Singh Teja

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 27

Leader of the Opposition Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Sunday accused Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh of shielding former minister Rana Gurjit Singh, who is under fire for allegedly dumping untreated industrial waste into the drains of Buttar Sivian village.

After the report on how the former minister’s sugar mill “dumped untreated industrial waste” into the village drains appeared in these columns, Khaira planned a march to the village. However, he was stopped by the police at Dhardeo village after some people, who claimed to be members of a kisan union, held a counter-protest. Khaira alleged they were Rana’s supporters.

Meanwhile, Rana’s son Veer Pratap Singh dared Khaira to prove his allegations.

Addressing a public rally at Dhardeo village, Khaira said: “I am here to visit the spot to express my concern over the river water pollution. I don’t want to have any fracas with Rana’s goons,” he said.

The AAP leader will be visiting sugar mills and distilleries in several parts of the state over the next few days to assess how they treated their industrial waste.

Khaira accused the Chief Minister of shielding people like Rana, who were “polluting the river waters”. I will offer Capt and his minister drain water to drink,” he added.

Veer Pratap Singh, who is one of the company directors, challenged the AAP leader to prove the charges he had been levelling against them for the past few days.

Veer Partap claimed that the company was being run as per norms laid down by the ministry and the Pollution Control Board and had also obtained all mandatory clearances, which were renewed from time to time after proper scrutiny and examination.

He challenged Khaira that if he proved the existence of a reverse borewell, they would shut down the mill.

Khaira said his battle was to save the waters of Punjab. “I will continue the crusade,” he added. “Rana Sugar Mill has several large bores on the factory premises to dispose of toxic waste into the soil,” said Khaira.