Balh residents threaten agitation over proposed airport on March 1

Tribune News Service

Mandi, February 7

Balh Bachao Sangharsh Samiti has threatened to stage a massive protest against the state government at Balh on March 1 over the proposed airport at Balh valley in Mandi.

A meeting of samiti members was held at Kansa ground in Mandi under the leadership of Joginder Walia, president of Balh Bachao Sangharsh Samiti to make a future strategy.

Walia said the state government was ignoring the interests of the people of Balh valley. This mega project would hit the people of the area directly but the state government was not ready to have a dialogue with the people.

Walia said, “Earlier we had requested Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur to initiate a dialogue with the people of Balh valley to hear their grievances. Despite our repeated requests till now nothing has been done in this regard.”

“A large number of people in Balh valley are going to lose their agriculture and commercial land beside residential and commercial property for this ambitious project. The samiti will fight with full vigour to save the rights of affected people”, he added.

“We have decided to stage a massive protest against the state government from Kansa Chowk to the office of Sub Divisional Magistrate, Balh, in Mandi on March 1 to raise the voice of affected people in front of state government”, he said.