Protest over liquor unit in Fazilka

Fazilka, February 15

Villagers and farmers today blocked the National Highway-7, near Hiranwali Maur on the Fazilka-Abohar road, in protest against setting up of a liquor plant in Hiranwali village of Fazilka district.

Fazilka Congress MLA Davinder Singh Ghubaya also joined the protest to express solidarity with the villagers.

Anil Kumar Jhinja, a resident of Beganwali village, said protesters, including sarpanchs, panchs and residents of Hiranwali, Beganwali, Kikarwala Roopa, Khui Khera, Bodiwala Pitha, Ramkot, Kabulshah Khubban, Kerian, Bandiwala, Banwala Hanuwanta and Jandwala Kharta villages sat on the main road and demanded to shelve the proposal.

Farmers’ leader Davinder Saharan said the proposal of setting up a liquor unit was finalised in 2013, which was opposed by the villagers. The unit was being set up by a senior Congress leader, he said. “Again, after a span of eight years, the construction of the boundary wall of the unit has begun. The villagers have pleaded that the toxic waste of the unit will render sub-soil drinking water unfit for consumption and cause pollution,” Saharan said.

The villagers said the source of water sanctioned for the unit was Kamalawala minor, which fed the fields of tail-end villages already facing water shortage. — OC