Section 144 imposed at Zira ethanol plant protest site

Ferozepur, October 10

Exhorting the protesters to shift ‘dharna’ site 300 metres away from an ethanol plant at Mansurwala village, District Magistrate Amrit Singh today imposed Section 144 of the CrPC to ensure movement of factory workers.

It’s pertinent to mention that thousands of locals, including farmers had been protesting outside the plant for more than past two months, demanding closure of the plant over charges of alleged contamination of groundwater.

Though the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which had collected samples from various spots had given a clean chit to the plant, the protesters refused to relent and shift the dharna site.

Even all efforts of the district administration to convince the protesters citing findings of the NGT report remained futile so far.

The DM said as per directons of the court, no obstruction can be created for the entry and exit of the plant employees. “Besides, the court had also instructed to shift the protest site 300 metres away from the plant,” said DM.