Zira: Ethanol plant dharna on, tension mounts as 2,000 cops deployed

Ferozepur, December 15

Situation continued to be tense throughout the day at Mansurwala village in Zira after a heavy police force was deployed at the dharna site in front of the ethanol plant, fuelling speculation about the use of force to disperse protesters.

Sources said over 2,000 police officials, including an SSP, 13 SP-rank officials besides 28 DSPs had been deployed at the dharna site.

Addressing mediapersons, DC Amrit Singh exhorted the protesters to follow the High Court orders and move their protest site 300 metres away from the plant. She said the protesters had not shifted the dharna site

“Following the orders, the administration has prepared a list of around 300 protesters. We will submit it during the hearing on December 20. Moreover, the arms licences of 21 of the protesters have been suspended and their firearms have been deposited at the police stations concerned,” said the DC.

Gurmail Singh, sarpanch of Mansuwala, said,“We will not lift the dharna till the ethanol plant, due to which the water of the area is getting polluted, shuts down.”