Bathinda villagers keep off Harsimrat function
Wednesday, 20/05/2015
http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Tribune/
Bathinda : The issue of pollution caused by a distillery took center stage during the visit of Bathinda MP and Union Minister for Food Processing Industry Harsimrat Kaur Badal to Machhana village in the district.
Harsimrat today held a Sangat Darshan at Gulabgarh, Gehri Bhagi, Jassi Pau Wali and Machhana villages.
At Machhana, villagers raised slogans against the government and boycotted the function.
They alleged that despite several representations to the authorities concerned, their problem had not been resolved.
“When we tried to apprise the MP of our problems, Damanjeet Mann, Sub-divisional Magistrate, did not allow us to enter the venue and called the police”, said Balbir Beera, a resident of Sangat Kothe village, which is also affected by fly ash.
The villagers alleged around 125 houses were affected by fly ash which was being dumped within their vicinity by the distillery.
Though the distillery is situated at Sangat Kalan village, the houses are located at Sangat Kothe village.
The villagers reached Mashana village to register their protest, but were not allowed to do so.
Resham Singh, sarpanch Kulvir Kaur’s husband, said several villagers were facing health problems due to pollution by the distillery. “We will take up the matter before the Deputy Commissioner as today’s function was only meant to distribute grants.”
