Fazilka farmers protest against dumping of effluents into canals

Fazilka, May 31

Farm activists under a banner of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee and the BKU (Ekta-Azad) on Tuesday urged the authorities concerned to take stern action against the industrialists for dumping untreated effluents into canals.

The farmers staged protest at 11 offices of the Canal Department.

Sukhwinder Singh, chief, Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, claimed that some of the factory owners were dumping untreated water laced with chemicals into the canals in Fazilka district.

Jaswinder Singh Longowal of BKU (Ekta-Azad) alleged that the Centre and state government had failed to check dumping of effluents into the canals.

The protesting farmers said residents of border villages had developed health and skin diseases after consuming water. They alleged that sewage treatment plants (STPs) had been lying defunct in several towns.

Farm leader Jagdish Singh Mansa said instead of implementing the corporate-friendly policies, the government should announce minimum support price (MSP) for all the crops.