BKU starts indefinite blockade over canal water theft in Fazilka

Fazilka, June 15

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Activists of the BKU Ugrahan today started an indefinite blockade of the Fazilka-Ferozepur highway at Mamujoiya toll plaza, near Jalalabad, over alleged illegal drawing of water from canals.

While one side of the road was already occupied by farmers protesting the three agriculture laws, the other side had now been blocked by union activists, resulting in inconvenience to commuters on the busy highway.

BKU Ugrahan district unit vice-president Gurwinder Singh Mannewala alleged some influential persons had laid pipes illegally and were drawing water from the Nizamwah distributary and minor Barkatwah and Faizwah canals, depriving tail-end villages of canal water during the paddy plantation season.

The farmers also alleged contaminated water was being released into the Jalalabad branch canal and Ladhuka distributary. The water was unfit for human consumption as well as irrigational purposes. They alleged the villagers had been suffering from several ailments due to release of contaminated water in some canals.

Jalalabad canal SDO Sunil Kamboj said illegal pipes had been removed at several places and water outlets set in order. He claimed the water was released into the Barkatwah and Faizwah minor canals but farmers did not open water outlets, causing a 30-foot-wide breach in the Barkatwah minor canal today morning. He said contaminated water was being released upstream in some canals. — OC