Fortifications block access to toilets, water for farmers

PROTESTERS HAVE TO NOW OFTEN TRAVEL LONG DISTANCES TO REACH TOILETS OR ACCESS DRINKING WATER

NEW DELHI: The rampant fortification of farm protest sites in Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur has restricted access to toilets, sanitation facilities, and water, agitators at the three border spots have said, alleging that the Delhi Police are intent are cutting off basic facilities to quell the stir.

Since January 29, when a group of persons, claiming to be local residents, entered the Singhu border agitation and clashes with farmers despite police presence, the number of barricades at the spots has been increased and alternate routes have been cut off. This means farmers spread across the eightkilometre-long protest area have to now often travel long distances to reach toilets or access drinking water.

While supplies coming from Punjab and Haryana at Singhu have not been affected so far, since the barricading and blockades are on the Delhi side, access to toilets and water tankers provided by the Delhi government has been severely disrupted.

Jasvir Singh, a farmer at Singhu border from Punjab’s Tarn Taran district said, “By installing barricades, the police are trying to cut off supplies and intimidate us. Older farmers are being forced to relieve themselves in the open or take a longer route to reach the toilet near a petrol pump. The Delhi government toilets, which are installed only a few metres from here, are now beyond reach.”

Earlier, farmers could access the various mobile toilet facilities around the entrance to the Singhu border agitation site and washrooms set up at the nearby Guru Tegh Bahadur Memorial. Farmers spread over the eightkilometre-long protest spot had access to mobile toilet stations set up by a host of NGOs, welfare groups as well as Haryana authorities. A senior police officer, requesting anonymity, said, “Not all routes have been closed. We have kept one side open for them and farmers can move between the two stages using inner lanes and use toilets which have been moved in that area.”

Sukhwinder Kaur (44) a disabled person from Jalandhar district protesting at Singhu, uses a wheelchair, and said her family members now have to carry her till the toilets. “It is difficult, but I wanted to come here and protest with the farmers as the government has done every possible thing to break the spirit of the movement,” Kaur said.