Ferozepur, Dec 18 (PTI) Several protestors were detained for blocking police vehicles when Punjab Police tried to evict protesters from the road leading to a distillery in Mansurwal village on Sunday, officials said.
Villagers under the banner of the Sanjha Zira Morcha have been protesting in front of the plant for the past five months, demanding that the distillery be shut down as it was allegedly polluting underground water in several villages and causing air pollution.
Raids were also conducted at the residences of ‘Sanjha Morcha’ leaders — Balraj Singh Feroke, Fateh Singh Ratol and Jagsir Singh who were spearheading the agitation, claimed the protesters.
Police have also blocked all passages which lead to Mansurwal village in order to prevent more villagers from reaching the protest site, they said.
The action came a day after protesters refused to end their ‘dharna’ despite Punjab Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal reaching out to the agitators and assuring them that their concerns will be addressed.
Dhaliwal had assured the protesters that their interests would be protected and added that special fact-finding committees comprising experts from various fields will also be set up in this regard.
However, the protesters stuck to their demand of shutting down the plant.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court had directed that protesters should be shifted 300 metres away from the present spot.
The high court had earlier imposed a fine of Rs 20 crore on the state government for failing to get the ‘dharna’ lifted after the plant owner moved to the court.
Some villagers, including women, tried to block the Bathinda-Amritsar national highway against the police action but cops dispersed them from the road. Some tents put up by protesters on the road leading to the plant were also removed by police.
However, protesters continued to sit in front of the main gate of the distillery.
Meanwhile, the district administration issued a letter to the Sarpanches and Gram Panchayats of village Mansurwal and Ratol Rohi, ‘Head Granthi’ and the president of the managing committee of Gurudwaras, warning them that as they have brought Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of Sikhs, to the ‘dharna’ site, if any kind of sacrilege or untoward incident takes place, they will be held responsible for it.
The protesters again started ‘Akhand Path’ (continuous recitation of Gurbani) even after the ‘bhog’ (conclusion) ceremony of the same recitation earlier on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters, Ferozepur Deputy Commissioner Amrit Singh said protesters were continuing with their protest despite the state government has agreed to all of their demands.
She said the administration has to comply with the order of the high court by December 20.
“We will ensure that no untoward incident takes place during this process. I request the protestors not to interrupt the proceedings. Besides, I will again urge the protestors that if they have any issue, they can go to the court,” said the DC.
She said the administration has made a list of more than 300 persons involved in the protest which will be given to the court at the next hearing on December 20. To a question on opening the other gate of the plant, the DC replied that a police force has been deployed there.
Speaking to reporters in Ferozepur, Senior Superintendent of Police, Kanwardeep Kaur said, Whatever action is being taken is as per law.
She appealed to protesters that they should obey the orders of the high court and shift their ‘dharna’ 300 metres away from the present site.
Everything at the protest site and even in the one km radius is peaceful, she said, adding that the situation was completely under control.
She informed that several people who tried to block the police vehicles have been detained.
“Nobody can obstruct the way meant for the public and police and if anyone does he or she will be arrested,” she said.
“As per high court orders, protesters are sitting illegally and blocking the road which is an offence,” she added.
She said an FIR has been lodged against 40-45 by name and 200-250 unidentified.
Around 2,000 police officials, including anti-riot police, have been deployed in Zira and an anti-riot vehicle has also been deployed near the protest site.
Police booked 70 persons by name, including three women, besides many unidentified persons in two separate cases at Zira police station. In the first case, the police booked 37 persons under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Arms Act and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.
In the second, it booked 33 identified and 25 to 30 unidentified persons under IPC sections and the National Highway Act 1956.
On Saturday, police had booked 14 people by name besides 100-125 unidentified persons for allegedly blocking the way of personnel going to perform duties at the ‘dharna’ site and holding a demonstration at the T-point road going towards the ethanol plant from Ratol Rohi village in Zira sub-division. PTI COR CHS SUN RDT
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