BKU faction starts blocking trains carrying coal to private plants
SAYS THEY WILL NOT STALL MOVEMENT OF COAL RAKES TO 2 STATE-OWNED THERMAL PLANTS
BAT HINDA/ AMRITSAR/ SANGRUR: More than a week days after ending an active participation in the ‘rail roko’ agitation, the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta-ugrahan) on Friday again announced to disrupt coal supply to private thermal plants indefinitely by blocking the tracks.
The BKU activists started squatting on the rail route to the Vedanta Group-owned Talwandi Sabo power project at Banawala village in Mansa district. The union leaders, however, maintained that they will not stall movement of coal rakes to two state- owned thermal power plants that generate electricity at cheaper rates.
Union’s state president Joginder Singh Ugraha said their members would commence dharna on the rail line to the Rajpura thermal power plant, a subsidiary of the L&T Group, from Saturday onwards.
Farmers continue gherao of Sangrur DC office
Hundreds of farmers continued the gherao of the deputy commissioner’s office in Sangrur on second consecutive day on Friday seeking compensation for the family of a farmer who died during a dharna at Dhuri on October 9.
The protesters blocked all three gates of the district administration complex in the morning and did not allow any employee and officer to enter the building.
PM’S effigies burnt
Even as the ‘rail roko’ agitation by farmers of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) entered its 30th day on Friday, the protesters burnt huge effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The effigies were modelled after Ravana at Dussehra grounds of the holy city and in other towns of Majha. Dussehra falls on October 25 (Sunday).