kuldeepsingh
August 1st, 2005, 11:32 PM
Dear All
THE farmers of Sriganganagar, Hanumangarh and Bikaner in Rajasthan have been facing serious trouble for the last few years due to the scarcity of water, mainly because of drought and non-availability of water from the Indira Gandhi Naher Project (IGNP). The continuous damage to crops has brought severe distress to them. The debt burden has added to their miseries. Agricultural workers also face unprecedented unemployment. In the context of such difficulties, the farmers, agricultural workers and local business people joined hands in October 2004 and demanded water from IGNP for cultivation and protection of their crops. However, the BJP government, instead of listening in their woes, opened fire on them and killed six people, and let loose massive oppression on the farmers. But the farmers resisted the government brutality and forced the government to reach an agreement with the Kisan Mazdoor Vyapari Sangharsh Samity to provide water.
But the problem of water in Rajasthan is a chronic one. Later on, the farmers of Tonk district also demanded water and a few months back started an agitation but the government again preferred to fire upon agitating farmers rather than have any dialogue with the people and killed four people of a village in the district.
Before the blood of the Tonk farmers dried up, the government of Vasundera Raje again resorted to attacks on people in Sriganganagar district. The October 2004 agreement had decided that 14,100 cusecs of water may at the best be available from Indira Gandhi Naher Project for distribution. It was agreed that 8,200 cusecs of water will be provided for the first phase area of IGNP and the rest 5, 900 cusecs would go for the second phase area. The proportion of 58:42 will be followed for distribution of water in the two phases, as per the available water.
But this agreement was not implemented. The farmers complained that water is being stolen and diverted more to phase one. Also that the chief engineer is hand in glove with some big landlords who are deceiving the common farmers. But the government, instead of looking into it, propagated that it is implementing the decision in full. When farmers did not get adequate water, they started an agitation and organised big meetings at Rawle, Gadsane, Anupgarh, Vijaynagar, Suratgarh and Rawalsar. The joint organisation of the people – the Kisan Mazdoor Vyapari Sangharsh Samity – led the peaceful movement demanding equitable distribution of water, organised protest rallies and submitted memoranda to the district collector, irrigation minister and chief minister. The irrigation minister Sanwar Mall Jat visited Ganganagar but held no discussion with the farmers’ representatives and declared to the media that there was no problem at all. The attitude of the Rajasthan government has always been feudal and fascistic. They never talk to the people. This is totally an undemocratic approach. Instead, they declared that this was a politically motivated action to create disturbances in the state. Haryana is also on the same path as far as scaricity of water is concerned.
Kuldeep Singh
THE farmers of Sriganganagar, Hanumangarh and Bikaner in Rajasthan have been facing serious trouble for the last few years due to the scarcity of water, mainly because of drought and non-availability of water from the Indira Gandhi Naher Project (IGNP). The continuous damage to crops has brought severe distress to them. The debt burden has added to their miseries. Agricultural workers also face unprecedented unemployment. In the context of such difficulties, the farmers, agricultural workers and local business people joined hands in October 2004 and demanded water from IGNP for cultivation and protection of their crops. However, the BJP government, instead of listening in their woes, opened fire on them and killed six people, and let loose massive oppression on the farmers. But the farmers resisted the government brutality and forced the government to reach an agreement with the Kisan Mazdoor Vyapari Sangharsh Samity to provide water.
But the problem of water in Rajasthan is a chronic one. Later on, the farmers of Tonk district also demanded water and a few months back started an agitation but the government again preferred to fire upon agitating farmers rather than have any dialogue with the people and killed four people of a village in the district.
Before the blood of the Tonk farmers dried up, the government of Vasundera Raje again resorted to attacks on people in Sriganganagar district. The October 2004 agreement had decided that 14,100 cusecs of water may at the best be available from Indira Gandhi Naher Project for distribution. It was agreed that 8,200 cusecs of water will be provided for the first phase area of IGNP and the rest 5, 900 cusecs would go for the second phase area. The proportion of 58:42 will be followed for distribution of water in the two phases, as per the available water.
But this agreement was not implemented. The farmers complained that water is being stolen and diverted more to phase one. Also that the chief engineer is hand in glove with some big landlords who are deceiving the common farmers. But the government, instead of looking into it, propagated that it is implementing the decision in full. When farmers did not get adequate water, they started an agitation and organised big meetings at Rawle, Gadsane, Anupgarh, Vijaynagar, Suratgarh and Rawalsar. The joint organisation of the people – the Kisan Mazdoor Vyapari Sangharsh Samity – led the peaceful movement demanding equitable distribution of water, organised protest rallies and submitted memoranda to the district collector, irrigation minister and chief minister. The irrigation minister Sanwar Mall Jat visited Ganganagar but held no discussion with the farmers’ representatives and declared to the media that there was no problem at all. The attitude of the Rajasthan government has always been feudal and fascistic. They never talk to the people. This is totally an undemocratic approach. Instead, they declared that this was a politically motivated action to create disturbances in the state. Haryana is also on the same path as far as scaricity of water is concerned.
Kuldeep Singh