Agitation against Zira liquor distillery: Amid deadlock, unions demand protesters' release

Ferozepur, December 19

A deadlock between protesting farmers and the state government continued at Mansurwala village in Zira today over pollution being spread by an ethanol unit.

The protesters broke through several barricades set up by the police at entry points of the village. Though cops claimed that nobody was stopped, farm leaders alleged the police resorted to lathicharge.

Farm activists of various unions joined the dharna demanding immediate release of 48 protesters who were arrested yesterday.

Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan, general secretary, Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan), said residents of this area had been suffering due to pollution generated by this ethanol plant.

“Due to this particular factory, crops have destroyed and locals have been diagnosed with cancer, but AAP government under the guise of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, provided compensation to the factory owners,” he said, adding that people belonging to this area should also be compensated.

SSP Kanwardeep Kaur said they had been monitoring the situation on the ground to maintain law and order in the area.