Two elderly dam oustees in Punjab ended a 50-day protest on Monday after climbing down from a 200-foot electricity tower near Pathankot, following an assurance from the district administration that their grievances would be taken up with the state’s Water Resources Minister within a week.
Sharm Singh, 82, and Kulwinder Singh, 72, had climbed the tower on August 25 near the Pathankot deputy commissioner’s residence in Madhour village, about 10 km from Pathankot city. They were protesting demands connected to the Shahpur Kandi Dam project.
The two men remained on a makeshift tarpaulin platform measuring nearly 4 feet by 4 feet during the protest. They were exposed to heavy rain, storms and other weather conditions before being lowered with the help of a crane. Their families and supporters waited for a resolution while the protest continued.
Dayal Singh, president of the Barrage Oustees Sangharsh Committee, said the protesters agreed to climb down after the district administration assured them that a meeting would be arranged with Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal and the secretary of the Water Resources Department.
Speaking after returning home, Kulwinder Singh said the administration and dam authorities had assured them that the meeting would take place within a week. “We have climbed down on the assurance that our grievances will be heard. If the government fails to address our demands, it should be prepared for a bigger agitation,” he said.
The protesters are seeking the termination of around three dozen people appointed by the dam management or jobs for their kin, according to the report. Kulwinder Singh also alleged that the land acquired from their families for the dam was compensated at Rs 2,700 per kanal. He said the affected families had been promised jobs for their children, but those expectations remained unfulfilled.
The dispute highlights the continuing demands of families displaced or affected by infrastructure projects for rehabilitation and employment commitments. The protesters said their land had been acquired for the dam and that they were still waiting for promised support despite having surrendered their property for the project.
Kulwinder Singh said the hardships of spending 50 days on the tower had strengthened their resolve. He added that climbing down did not mean the oustees had abandoned their cause. The protesters accepted the administration’s assurance in the expectation that the proposed meeting would result in a concrete decision.
The next step is the meeting with the Water Resources Minister and the department secretary, which the district administration has said will be arranged within a week. The protesters have warned that they may intensify their agitation if the assurance is not honoured or their demands remain unresolved.
