Vijay Pant
Shimla: Bilaspur residents remain steadfast in their protests against the Ali Khad drinking water supply scheme, fearing an escalation of the water crisis. Villagers have halted construction work and threatened to jam the national highway if demands are not met. The project, expected to lift 10 lakh liters of water per day, could impact 35 panchayats.
Bilaspur’s Water Crisis: A Looming Threat
For over two weeks, residents of Bilaspur and Nainadevi have been fervently protesting the construction of the Ali Khad drinking water supply scheme at Triveni Ghat. Their primary concern? An imminent and worsening water crisis. The protests have intensified, with the protest committee threatening to jam the national highway if their demands are not met. The situation has turned tense, with villagers halting construction work and throwing stones into the under-construction tank.
The Battle for Water: Protesters vs Administration
A large gathering took place at a Mahapanchayat on Tuesday, with representatives from various villages participating. The atmosphere was charged, as protestors raised slogans against the administration and government. Their message was clear: the water crisis in Bilaspur will worsen if the scheme is implemented. The project, which aims to lift 10 lakh liters of water every day from the area, has been met with strong resistance. Protesters claim this will lead to the closure of 24 drinking water and seven irrigation schemes in the Bilaspur district, affecting about 35 panchayats.
Negotiations and Inspections: The Search for a Solution
In response to the escalating situation, a case of rioting and obstructing public servants has been registered against the protesters. Some leaders have been identified, and a committee has been constituted to address the concerns of Bilaspur residents. To understand the potential impact of the construction, a senior hydrogeologist of the Ground Water Cell of Jal Shakti Department inspected the site. The inspection concluded that the construction of the drinking water supply scheme will not have any negative impact on Navgaon Khad.
As the situation in Bilaspur continues to unfold, the water crisis remains at the forefront. The residents stand firm in their demand for the immediate halt of the project to avoid more intense agitation. The question now is, will the administration and government heed their call?
Turmoil in Assembly
The BJP MLAs walked out from the assembly on Thursday demanding an assurance from the state government that the FIR against those protesting over the construction of the Ali Khad drinking water scheme would be withdrawn. The BJP claims if water is lifted for this scheme from Ali Khad ‘stream’, several panchayat areas in Naina Devi and Bilas Sadar would not get enough water. The BJP’s move comes as a case of rioting and obstructing public servants from performing their duty has been registered against the protestors on the Solan-Bilaspur border post their dissent on Tuesday. BJP MLA Randhir Sharma, who raised this issue in the House, demanded that the work on the scheme be stopped forthwith and the FIR against the protesters be withdrawn.
Sharma, the MLA from Shri Naina Devi, who also sustained injury along with several others during the protest on Tuesday, alleged that the police stopped the protestors, resorted to lathi-charge, pelted stones at them, and even registered FIR against them. Asserting that construction of this scheme would lead to the closure of 24 drinking water seven irrigation schemes and 15 gharats (traditional water mills), Sharma said that panchayats of Naina Devi and Bilaspur Sadar assembly constituencies of Bilaspur would be deprived of drinking water and irrigation facilities.
The BJP leader added that work on this scheme was continuing even after an assurance from the chief minister. Parliamentary Affairs and Industry Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan said that the dispute between the two districts is an important issue and the reply would be given in the House on Friday. The contractor has been told to stop the work and if the work is continuing then an explanation would be sought, he added. Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania said that the matter has been listed for a detailed discussion tomorrow but the BJP members raised slogans and left the House while insisting on an assurance from the chief minister on the withdrawal of cases. The BJP MLA later told The Emerging World that several people, including him, Zila Parishad members, and women, sustained injuries in police action.
The police had on Tuesday registered cases against the protestors after eight persons, including seven policemen and one Home Guard jawan, were injured. The police had said that around 400 protestors gathered near Navgaon village on the border of Solan and Bilaspur districts and forcefully stopped the ongoing work of the scheme. The protestors started pelting stones after the leaders finished their speeches, they said. Opposing the construction of the Ali Khad drinking water supply scheme at Triveni Ghat on the border of Bilaspur and Solan districts, the residents of Bilaspur have been protesting for the past 22 days, claiming that Bilaspur town will face acute water crisis in the coming time if this scheme is completed.
They affirm that 10 lakh liters of water would be lifted every day after the construction of this scheme and demand the Jal Shakti Department, Arki Mandal, to construct a water reservoir on Ali Khad and abandon the lift water supply scheme or lift water from Kol dam.
