Farmers Movement Archive

Kirti Kisan Union starts ‘Pucca Morcha’ against mining mafia

Sultanpur Lodhi, January 30 To save the 20,000 acre fertile land and Dhusi Bandh along the Beas from the mining mafia, farmers have started a pucca morcha at the mining site near Baja village in Sultanpur Lodhi under the banner of Kirti Kisan Union, Punjab. Farmers said mining was going on full swing for the past two months illegally under the patronage of Congress party leaders and the police administration, ignoring the fact that the Dhusi Bandh, the first line of defence line, is only 500 metre away from the site. The mand areas of Beas have very fertile land, which was owned by the farmers of Mangupur, Hussainpur Dullowal, Sujokalia, Burewall, Baja, Patti Safdarpur, Talwandi Chaudriyan etc. The area had witnessed large scale floods in 1988 and 1995 as the first defence line was eroded by the heavy flow of water in the monsoon seasons. Addressing farmers, Raghbir Singh, block president, Kirti Kisan Union, said farmers have reached Delhi to save their future, but here the ‘Junior Modis’ were looting the natural resources with political and administration backup. He said around 15 days ago they had urged the police officials to stop this illegal activity, but they turned a blind eye. The angry farmers have also announced to block the main bridge on the Beas, which connects the Doaba and Majha belt, if the illegal mining was not stopped by removing heavy JCBs and other machinery. Rajinder Singh, Shamsher Singh, Mohan Singh, Resham Singh, Labh Singh, Gurpreet Singh and Sukhwinder Singh also addressed farmers.

The Tribune

2021-01-31