NPP holds massive protest near Mantalai
Excelsior Correspondent
CHENANI, Feb 18: NPP activists led by Harsh Dev Singh, former minister today held a protest at Choka Nala on Mantalai road against the Govt and PHE Deptt in particular for their neglect, harassment and persecution at the hands of Govt functionaries.
The protesters raised slogans against Jal Shakti Department and BJP Govt for depriving them of drinking water in the rural belt and for harassing them in the name of anti-encroachment drive. The protest was joined by hundreds of women, children, old and young from village Kossar, Choka Nala, Banek and adjacent localities which resulted in disruption of vehicular traffic for over three hours.
They also torched the effigy of the Government. The dharna was called off only after the assurance of SDM Chenani and Xen PHE Udhampur for immediate redressal of the genuine concerns of the public of the area.
Speaking on the occasion, Harsh Dev cautioned the Govt to refrain from harassing rural folk and from depriving them of their basic fundamental needs. He strongly supported the demand of the public of Panchayat Kossar and adjoining localities for utilizing the water resources of the area so as to fulfill the drinking water requirements of the people of the said areas only before diverting the water channels to other areas. He said that PHE Department move to supply water from Kossar and Choka Nala to Mantalai Yoga centre and other hotels, huts by depriving the local people of the native Panchayat had sparked massive outrage in the area and needed to be reviewed. There was massive resentment among the locals who were reeling under drinking water scarcity, but the PHE Department had chosen to oblige its political bosses by embarking upon the new water supply projects so as to favour the rich and influential by ‘robbing’ the poor indigent masses of their water resources.
He said that the available water resources at Kossar and Choka Nala should be used for supply of water to the said areas and Mantalai Yoga centre and other establishments should be supplied water from the Tawi river flowing adjacent to the said centre.
Harsh Dev further cautioned the government to refrain from evicting the poor and landless farmers from their marginal land holdings which were their only source of survival and livelihood.
Protest dharna was attended by Sumita Devi Sarpanch, Pawan Sharma Sarpanch, Sudesh Kumar Sarpanch besides dozens of other Panchs of the area.
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