In Dhuri, farmers protest lack of canal infrastructure

Sangrur, September 30

Farmers of 70 villages, who do not have access to canals for irrigating their fields, have been protesting outside Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s office in Dhuri for the past 11 days.

Jarnail Singh Jahangir, chief, Nehri Paani Prapati Sangharsh Committee, said, “Residents of 70 villages are fighting for canal water. The Punjab Government has compelled us to start indefinite protest as our repeated requests fell on deaf ears. We will protest as long as our demand of canal water is not met.”

He said, “Our next meeting with senior officers is scheduled for October 5 in Chandigarh.” The protesting farmers said the affected villages fall under four Assembly segments, Malerkotla, Amargarh, Dhuri and Mehal Kalan.

Gurnam Singh, a farmer, said, “The groundwater is depleting at a rapid pace as it’s the only source of irrigation. All affected villages are in a dark zone due to over exploitation of groundwater.”

The protesters claimed that the state government had announced a canal project in the area in 1986. In 2014, the government announced three canals but nothing happened on the ground, said aggrieved farmers, adding that their meeting with officials on September 25 proved futile.