Farmers Movement Archive

A year after 32-day ‘jal andolan’, pontoon bridge construction begins over Ganga

Bijnor: Exactly a year after residents of 25 villages stood in swelled up river Ganga for 32 days as a mark of protest against state administration's neglect of the demand for a pontoon bridge, the empty oil storage vessels used in the construction of such bridges have begun to arrive in Mandawar region of Bijnor. As of now, 13 drums have reached. The area has witnessed a number of deaths due to accidents like capsizing of boats. Several villages are located on the other side of the river and there was no other way to cross it. Villagers are upbeat with the development as the bridge will contribute immensely towards alleviating the problems of more than 25 dozen villages. Notably, the river here changes its course every monsoon, and, with it, the fate of thousands of farmers, mainly for the worse. The river, swollen with rain water, swallows thousands of acres of farmland, apart from submerging houses and claiming lives mostly of women and children. Two years ago, a boat carrying 27 people capsized. And 10 women drowned. After several protests didn’t yield much results, they decided to start a unique protest - ‘jal satyagrah’ - last year in October. The protest lasted 32 days on the bank of Ganga at Daibalgarh village. Demanding embankments and a bridge, over 100 villagers were taking turns, on a daily basis, to stand in neck-deep water of the river as part of the protest. It ended only after the local administration sent a proposal to state authorities for the sanction. Proposal got the state authorities' nod in December last year. Raw materials for the construction of the temporary bridge have begun to arrive from Tuesday evening. Around 13 drums reached Daibalgarh village under Mandawar police station. The construction work was assigned to PWD. Executive engineer of PWD, Sunil Sagar, said, “Pontoon bridge worth Rs 2.09 crore is to be constructed by October-end. Around 330 metre-long pontoon bridge will be constructed by connecting 66 empty drums which are being carried from PWD’s Prayagraj store.” Talking to TOI, 55-year-old Ramwati said, “Women are helping hands of families. They go to the fields across the river to fetch fodder for cattle. Unfortunately, most of them do not know how to swim. Two years ago, 10 women drowned when their boat capsized. Once the pontoon bridge is complete, we will not have to put our lives at risk.” Rajendra Singh, mandal president of BKU who was leading the agitation, said, “It is the victory of unity of the villagers. Our years old demand is going to be fulfilled. Once the bridge is constructed, villagers will be able to ferry their crop in tractor-trolley across the river. The bridge will connect this area with Muzaffarnagar district as well. Villagers need to cover a distance of 80km to reach Muzaffarnagar now. The bridge will reduce the distance to 40km.”

The Times of India

2020-10-16

Meerut