हिंदी
PAC Sutlej and Mattewara Jungle organized a dialogue on the development model for Punjab in the context of Modern Industrial Park proposed by the previous Amarinder Singh Government on the flood plains of Sutlej near Mattewara Jungle where leaders of various environmental and social organizations shared their views. .
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Col. CM Lakhanpal of Sangharsh Committee said, “Development has been defined in a wrong way which is causing great loss to the common Punjabi. Creating factories that destroy natural resources and poison river waters of Punjab causing serious community health implications to the people of Punjab and calling it development is grossly misleading. Environmental destruction has been packaged and sold as development in a clever manner to fool people so that even those drinking polluted water of Sutlej which is already toxic due to Buddha Nullah do not to make any fuss about this industrial park. A large part of Malwa region of Punjab gets this very water in the water supply taps provided by the state govt in their homes which is sourced from Harike via canals. Citizens in that region are fighting diseases and health problems from a long time. They have now understood the game of destruction in the name of development being played with them and are raising their voices against it and we all stand with them in solidarity along with rest of Punjab. ”
Gangvir Rathaur of Aalmi Punjabi Sangat said, “The Bhakhra dam is almost seventy years old and at an age when it will soon need to refurbished to ensure its safety. Importance of keeping flood plains free from encroachments and construction will be even more during that time as the dam will not be able to regulate water flow completely during the maintenance period. ”
Kashmir Singh, a resident of village Sekhowal, who along with other villagers is not only protesting against the industrial park and Punjab government for taking away the land from the villagers but is also fighting a legal battle in the court on behalf of the villagers said, “In the name of development an attempt has been made to grab 416 acres of arable land of Sekhowal village during the tenure of Amarinder Singh government which if successful will force the farmers of the village to become daily wagers. We appeal to the new chief minister that in the name of development, the oppression of the people of this poor and backward dalit community of this village should be stopped. The land registry was effected despite a gram sabha resolution passed with an overwhelming majority against any such sale of land. That registry should be revoked. ”
S Barjinder Singh of Naroa Punjab said, “Water resources of Punjab are being polluted and destroyed and to stop this mindless destruction people of Punjab have to stand up against such misuse of state power by powerful but corrupt and selfish politicians and bureaucrats.”
Dr. Amandeep Bains of RBS Roots said, “The key players in this industrial park scheme drawn up by the Amarinder government have been ousted from power. The Channi government should immediately reject this anti-people and anti-environmental plan in view of the anger among the masses of Punjab and in view of organized opposition by environmental and social organizations against it. Political parties should give prominent place to environmental issues in their manifestos and help to shift development model of Punjab towards sustainable and pollution free development. ” He appealed to all the MLAs and Members of Parliament of Punjab to raise their voice for the repeal of this scheme which was detrimental to the environment of Punjab, Mattewara forest, Sutlej and the health of Punjabis.
Kapil Arora, an environmental law expert and president of the Council of Engineers, who is also the main petitioner in the case against the Modern Industrial Park in the National Green Tribunal, said, “The NGT has clearly directed the Punjab Chief Secretary to ensure that the flood plains of Sutlej should not be harmed by this industry park in any way. He said that the entire area acquired by GLADA in the name of Industry Park belongs to the flood plain which is evidenced by the existing oxbow lakes in the area. Govt cannot destroy flood plains in the name of development as the law does not allow it. ”
Shamindar Singh Longowal of Nature Human Movement said, “Recently Kejriwal came to Ludhiana and gave a lot of guarantees for hospitals and medicines but actually there is a greater need to protect natural resources from pollution so that human beings are prevented from getting sick. Good health is a much bigger sign of development than hospitals and that needs to be understood. ”
Jaskirat Singh of Naroa Punjab Manch said, “The reason why the ground water in Punjab is getting deeper is lesser recharge than its extraction. Damaging flood plains with concrete structures reduces recharge of underground acquifers which is the reason why law does not allow that either. The Punjab government should protect its natural resources and ecosystems from such mindless development so that future generations can be saved from destruction done in the guise of development.”
