Miffed at delay in notification on Zira ethanol plant closure, farmers to intensify agitation

Ferozepur, February 4

Miffed at the indecisiveness on part of the state government regarding not issuing an official notification for the closure of the ethanol plant at Zira, the protesters have decided to further intensify their stir.

Gurmail Singh, sarpanch of Mansurwala village, who has been at the forefront of the ‘Sanjha Morcha’, said he failed to understand why the government was taking so much time to issue the notification.

“The Chief Minister has himself announced the closure of the plant. However, it’s been a fortnight now, but the government has not issued any written orders for reasons best known to them,” said Gurmail.

“We have called a meeting of members of the ‘Sanjha Morcha’ and other allies on February 10. We will decide the future course of action at the meeting,” added Gurmail.

Fateh Brar, another member of ‘Sanjha Morcha’ said they were hoping that the government would issue the notification for the closure of the plant at the Cabinet meeting, held yesterday. “Now, we fell disappointed and let down,” he said.

“I don’t know why the government is taking so much time. When the CM announced the closure of the plant, we were asked to lift the dharna. Now, it’s been almost three weeks but nothing happened afterwards,” said Roman Brar, a ‘Sanjha Morcha’ member.

On January 17, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had announced the closure of the Zira ethanol plant through a video uploaded on his Twitter account. However, the protesters had refused to lift dharna and asked for written orders of the CM.

The ‘Sanjha Morcha’ members had even listed their demands for lifting dharna, which included withdrawal of cases registered against protesters, compensation to families, who lost their kin due to ailments allegedly caused by the contaminated groundwater, slapping of penalty on the plant administration, compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to those, who lost jobs, and setting up of a multispecialty hospital in the area.

On January 24, the CM during a public gathering in Fazilka had claimed that the government had all the legal documents and the orders regarding closure of the plant would be issued soon.

Sources said a team of senior officials has been brainstorming to work out the legalities regarding closure of the ethanol plant.

The sources further said the government was perhaps waiting for the reports of the four probe panels that had been constituted following the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

According to information, three of the fact-finding committees, set up by the state government have reportedly submitted their reports to the district administration, which have been further forwarded to the Punjab Pollution Control Board for interpretation.

Rajesh Dhiman, Deputy Commissioner, said, “The health analysis committee, soil inspection committee and animal husbandry committee have submitted their reports to the administration. Rest of the reports are still awaited.”