The dharna committee at Chanot village in Haryana has decided to escalate the agitation over their demand for drinking water, calling upon khap panchayats and other organisations to submit memorandums across various districts on March 3. They have also announced a tractor march in Chanot village on March 4 as a show of strength and plan to form a human chain from the dharna site to the village waterworks.
Protest enters 46th day
The dharna, which began on May 16, has now entered its 46th day. Residents of Chanot village are demanding a drinking water connection from the 900-mm Bhakra pipeline that passes through their village. The pipeline is being laid under the AMRUT scheme to carry water from Rajli Head to Hansi town to meet the drinking water needs of urban areas.
The protesters remain adamant, stating that water from the pipeline would permanently solve the village's drinking water problem. Several rounds of talks, including discussions with the Haryana Chief Minister, have failed to resolve the issue.
Social media ban triggers anger
The protesters are upset with the authorities after several social media accounts of media outlets and individuals, including Tractor Times and Kisan News Haryana sharing updates about the protest, have been banned. The dharna committee urged the authorities to revoke the ban on various social media pages and individual accounts by tomorrow and warned of tough measures. They also decided to block the Hansi road on March 6 from 1 am to 3 am.
Support from neighbouring village
Residents of Singhwa Ragho village in the same district have expressed support for the Chanot agitation while raising their own drinking water concerns. They held a meeting in the village and alleged that they have been facing a water crisis due to inadequate water supply from the canal to their waterworks.
Naresh, a villager, said the issue had been raised with the concerned department several times, but no permanent solution had been provided till now. The villagers gave the administration a two-day ultimatum, warning that if adequate water supply is not ensured within the stipulated period, they will block the Barwala-Hansi road. They also announced support for the ongoing Chanot protest and said that if the issue is not resolved in time, they would join hands with other villages to intensify the agitation.
