Activists offer Satluj water bottles to politicians at Shahkot

  • | Friday | 25th May, 2018

SHAHKOT ( JALANDHAR ): Even as gangster-turned-activist Lakhbir Singh alias Lakha Sidhana was detained by police in Moga, some activists of ‘Paani Bachao Punjab Bachao’ on Thursday managed to reach byelection bound Shahkot with bottles of water from the Satluj and offer them to politicians. Only 10,000 kilolitre molasses created such a havoc because there was no water in the Beas, the activists claimed. British laid canal network but in the last 70 years water several canals have have either dried up or carry polluted water. It is being projected as if people of Punjab don’t need water from its rivers and agriculture is completely reliant on groundwater. Lakha had announced to reach Shahkot to offer water from Punjab’s rivers to the political leaders there.The activists had brought water from Satluj, Harike and a canal in Malwa region and intended to serve it offices of political parties but they did not find any senior leader there.“If people can drink this water then why can’t the rulers?

SHAHKOT ( JALANDHAR ): Even as gangster-turned-activist Lakhbir Singh alias Lakha Sidhana was detained by police in Moga, some activists of ‘Paani Bachao Punjab Bachao’ on Thursday managed to reach byelection bound Shahkot with bottles of water from the Satluj and offer them to politicians. They argued that if people of the state were being made to drink this water then why should the politicians not drink it.The activists said they would campaign for any party leaders of which would drink the water brought by them and that Lakha was detained even though they just wanted to highlight the issue of pollution in water sources. Lakha had announced to reach Shahkot to offer water from Punjab’s rivers to the political leaders there.The activists had brought water from Satluj, Harike and a canal in Malwa region and intended to serve it offices of political parties but they did not find any senior leader there.“If people can drink this water then why can’t the rulers? People need to question them. British laid canal network but in the last 70 years water several canals have have either dried up or carry polluted water. It is being projected as if people of Punjab don’t need water from its rivers and agriculture is completely reliant on groundwater. Punjab is on the verge of turning barren and water in its river has been drastically reduced and polluted,” said Aalmi Punjabi Sangat founder and ‘Paani Bachao Punjab Bachao’ committee member Gangveer Rathour.“Satluj has been turned into a drain after it reaches Ludhiana as fresh water does not reach there, or even if it does, it is in very small quantity. Rivers and natural water channels should have water throughout the year and it should be ensured that at least 25% of natural flow is maintained so that these remain living entities,” he argued.Another activist Babbu Khosa said, “Governments made irrigation system collapse and forced farmers to pump out ground water, which is leading to decline in the level of water. But still governments have not released water into our rivers.”The activists argued that had Beas got even 25% water flowing in it last week then it would not have led to such a big crisis. Only 10,000 kilolitre molasses created such a havoc because there was no water in the Beas, the activists claimed. They demanded that as people of Punjab were suffering from cancer and hepatitis C infection due to water pollution in the state, Union government should declare it as national disaster and funds reserved for it in the annual budget should be used for treatment of victims and giving financial help to their families.

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