Bilaspur/Solan : After the Mahapanchayat was held in Trivenighat on Tuesday regarding Kikar-Navgaon drinking water scheme, hundreds of villagers entered Arki area, held a protest and stopped work. The villagers also pelted stones when they were stopped by the police. They also overturned the machines engaged in the construction work there.
During this period, about 7 policemen and 1 home guard were injured. They were rushed to hospital. Solan SP Gaurav Singh said that an FIR is being registered in this matter. The crowd has been dispersed from the area. Atmosphere here is peaceful and police teams of both the districts are monitoring this matter.
More than 400 villagers came there to protest against the administration over the drinking water scheme in Arki area. The contractor and labor had not come for this construction work on Tuesday. The villagers have removed the material, rods and other items that were used in the construction work. Already, the villagers explained their problem to the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, but still no effort is made to solve it, said Rajneesh Sharma, President, Ali Khad Sangharsh Samiti.
Slogans raised against Arki administration: Sri Naina Deviji MLA Randhir Sharma was also present along with the villagers in this protest. The Sangharsh Committee said that the administration and the government are not taking this matter seriously. If a drinking water scheme is set up here, then the people of Bilaspur will have to face water crisis in summer, they said.
The construction work of drinking water scheme for the people of Arki district was started in Navgaon adjacent to the border of Bilaspur and Solan. Through this scheme, drinking water will be provided to the people of about seven panchayats. The protesters said that instead of setting up the drinking water scheme in Navgaon, it should be planned in Koldam. This will solve the problems of the people of Arki area, they said. At the same time, the farmers and residents of Bilaspur district will be safe. The controversy regarding this drinking water scheme has been raging for the last 17 days.
Rajneesh Sharma, President of Ali Khad Sangharsh Samiti, said that the people have stopped the work of water lifting scheme in Ali Khad near Trivenighat to protect their interests. Due to this, construction work was started in Solan border on the other side of the ravine, which is being opposed by the villagers, he said.
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