FAISALABAD: Several farmers staged a demonstration and blocked traffic on the motorway interchange against Citi Housing Scheme on Wednesday claiming developers of the society had demolished the watercourse used to irrigate agricultural land in Kamalpur.

Protesters from Chak 5-JB Kamalpur demonstrated in front of the Kamalpur interchange and on Sargodha Road shouting slogans against the developers, officials of the district government and the irrigation department.

Talking to reporters, villagers said the bulldozed watercourse had been irrigating fertile agricultural lands of the village for decades. However, now the developers had demolished it saying they had purchased the land for the colony and that the watercourse was not required, they alleged. They said nobody could demolish the watercourse that was government-owned and meant for a large piece of land. They added that 62 acres had not been irrigated for many days and nobody was ready to resolve the issue.

“We complained to the district government and irrigation department officials against the illegal conduct of the colony developers, however, officials made us into a rolling stone instead of moving against the accused,” they alleged.

Protesters said display of weapons was banned across the province, but alleged that gunmen of the colony strolled in the area and threatened farmers with dire consequences if they spoke up against them. They said police and the district government were aware of the gunmen but doing nothing against them.

Farmers said the developers had also demolished the channel catering to sanitation requirements creating a plethora of problems for them.

On being informed of the protest, PML-N MPA Zafar Iqbal Nagra rushed to the spot and assured the protesters their issues would be resolved within two days. Nagra said they would also join the farmers if relief was not provided to them. Farmers dispersed peacefully after a dialogue with Nagra.

Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2015

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