Sustained struggle on survival issues forces closure of Zira polluting factory in Punjab, Bhagwant Mann asserts his authority

 

Sustained struggle on survival issues forces closure of Zira polluting factory in Punjab

Ground Zero

Jagtar Singh

At the time when the saving of environment  has become a global concern forcing the planners to adopt new path of pro-people development, the closure of liquor factory at Zira in border district of Ferozepur in Punjab ordered today by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is a momentous victory of  farmers’ led struggle on survival issues.

This factory was being blamed for pollution of ground water in the area impacting both animal and human life.

Mann said “No one would be allowed to spoil the environment of Punjab…Hence a big decision has been taken in peoples’ interest after consulting experts…I have ordered closure of Zira liquor factory and in future none would be spared for playing with environment”.

This is second major assertion by Mann within a week while it is second major victory in recent times for sustained peaceful mass mobilisation by the Punjab people at large led by the farmers on an issue that concerns each and every human being.

The Zira factory owned by a former Shiromani Akali Dal MLA has been operating for the last 17 years.

It was after some years that the symptoms of pollution of ground water appeared. The factory had been pumping waste water into the ground and claimed to observe all environmental norms. However, polluted water started coming out about a year back triggering mass struggle.

The dharna outside the factory led by Zira Sanjha Morcha started on July 24, 2022. Even Punjab and Haryana High Court had intervened directing the Punjab government to remove protesters from near the factory gate.

Of late, almost all the farm organisations in the state had started participating in this dharna turning it into mass struggle.

The people have finally won and that too on issue that concerns survival of human beings at large and the future of humanity.

Its importance can be assessed in case this case is expanded from micro to macro level. The  basic issue involved at the broader level is the very model of industrial and agricultural development adopted by the corporates whose  only motive is to maximise profits. This model has been coming into confrontation with the people even in countries like the USA.

Similar protests have been held in recent years in India by people against several projects and factories.

The Zira mass struggle has once again shown the path of confronting anti-people development models and policies through mass mobilisations.

It may be mentioned that earlier, the farmers’ mass struggle at the gates of Delhi for about a year had forced Prime Minister Narendra Modi to scrap the three farm laws that were perceived to be anti-farmer and anti-people.

The farmers struggle that was led by Punjab had acquired all-India dimension. However, the momentum of that struggle was lost after the victory due to miscalculation by some of the over-ambitious farmer leaders.

The Zira struggle had of late emerged as yet another platform for joint struggle.

It is time that a common platform is evolved by these organisations on a common minimum pro-people programme for the future.

At the governance level, this decision is second major assertion of his authority by Mann who has been under attack for getting dictated by his party leaders in Delhi. His graph had drastically come down virtually within weeks of the Aam Aadmi Party capturing power in Punjab with a massive mandate unprecedented in electoral history of this state. However, the Sangrur Lok Sabha by-election held within four months of this victory showed mirror to Mann government as AAP failed to retain the seat that had been vacated  by Bhagwant Mann himself.

Earlier this week, he refused to succumb to the pressure from bureaucracy on the issue of corruption. Officers of both the IAS and the PCS cadre had protested against actions of the vigilance bureau in some corruption cases and the PCS officers had even gone on a week’s mass leave. The IAS officers too threatened mass resignations. However, Mann refused to budge forcing the bureaucracy to fall in line.

Bhagwant has finally given the much needed loud and clear signal that he has the capacity to deliver. Now he has to maintain the tempo.