Canal Patwar Union to protest in Dhuri

Sangrur, June 15

In support of its demands and against suspension of canal patwaris, issuance of charge sheets to canal patwaris and deduction of hefty amounts from salaries of May month of canal patwaris, a state-level protest rally is being organised by Nehri Patwar Union, Jal Sarot Vibhag Punjab, on June 17 at Dhuri, the Assembly constituency of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

The demands of the union include cancellation of ‘no work no pay’ letter issued by the department; cancellation of suspension of agitating canal patwaris and charge sheets issued to them; and suspension of Principal Secretary of the Water Resources Department, Punjab.

State president of the union, Jaskaran Singh alleged that the canal patwaris were being pressurised by the department to mention wrong figures in the records regarding irrigation of fields with canal water. He said when the canal patwaris refused to do so, authorities issued charge sheets to nearly 200 canal patwaris.

Jaskaran further said that even he (Jaskaran) had been suspended and transferred from Bathinda to Shahpur Kandi Dam (Pathankot). He said the canal Patwaris had observed ‘pen down’ strike from May 16 to May 29. During this period, many of them had also done election-related works. Despite this, in several divisions, hefty amounts from their salaries of May month had been deducted by the department by implementing ‘no work no pay’ letter, he added.