Indian Govt. Postpones Talks with Farmers; Villagers Win Against Paper Mill

The Indian union government has postponed the scheduled 4 May meeting with Panjab-based farmer unions after the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) (Non-Political) insisted on excluding representatives of the Panjab govt. from the discussions. In a letter dated 1 May, the union govt. urged the farmer leaders to reconsider their stance, emphasising the importance of state participation in a federal setup. The farmers had requested to exclude the Panjab govt. which had betrayed the farmers by arresting the leaders after the last round of talks on 19 Mar and how police dismantled the year-long protests at Shambhu and Khanauri interstate Panjab and Haryana borders. The irony is the demand was being made from the union govt. which along with Haryana govt. had blocked the farmers path to Delhi and forced them to camp on roads. The farmer unions gave a call to protest outside Shambhu police station and symbolically block trains and roads for one day on 5 May. However on 4 May night, the police picked up many farmer leaders including SKM NP chief Jagjit Singh Dallewal from their homes and detained them. Panjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann warned all 'institutions, organizations, and unions' against blocking of roads and stopping trains during peak wheat harvest season. Meanwhile, on 30 Apr, hundreds of people gathered at Chamkaur Sahib for a public hearing against the proposal to establish a paper mill in 200 acres of land. The land is between Sirhind canal and Buddha Dariya. Before the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) process began, the Punjab Pollution Control Board invited residents to voice their objections. The Public Action Committee, Mattewara Morcha (front), filed a formal complaint, highlighting concerns over environmental degradation. The proposed site is also close to a region of immense religious and historical significance, and the committee pointed out that such industrial development would show blatant disregard for cultural and spiritual values. In the final show of hands, the people voted overwhelmingly against establishing the mill (earlier coverage).