Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Hundreds of fishermen from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Ahmednagar districts participated in Jalsamadhi Andolan organised to protest against the proposed floating solar power project in Jayakwadi Dam on Wednesday at 5 am. The agitation demanding to scrap the project, however, was withdrawn at 5 pm (after 12 hours) after the assurance of necessary action by the tehsildar and other administrative officials.
The solar project is being implemented by the Central Government’s National Thermal Corporation Limited (NTCL). Around 2 lakh dependents from 22,000 families hailing from the above two districts are earning their livelihoods through fishing in the dam. They are fearing that they would be pushed to face starvation if the project is implemented. Hence they all united under the banner of Jayakwadi Machhimar Sangharsh Kruti Samiti and launched the agitation.
Earlier, it was decided to start the agitation today from 12 noon, but the fishermen along with their family members (women and children) reached the dam and descended into water at 5 am. They shouted slogans against the administration.
The police and the officials of the departments concerned rushed to the spot on knowing about starting of the agitation. The executive engineer (irrigation) Prashant Jadhav, tehsildar Sarang Chavan, sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Sidheswar Bhore, police inspector Sanjay Deshmukh, assistant police inspector Eshwar Jagdale, and the officers of Department of Forest (Wildlife) and others offices reached the site. They tried to convince the protestors, but it was in vain. They became aggressive and took a stand to continue the agitation till the project was not scrapped. Later on, the tehsildar and other officials, at 4.30 pm, assured them to resolve the issue by holding a meeting with the district collector in 15 days. Hence after assurance the agitation was withdrawn at 5 pm. Tight police bandobast was maintained by the police personnel from Pachod, Bidkin, Paithan and Paithan MIDC police stations, apart from the Riot Control squad.
Resolve or agitation will resume
The action committee’s Bajrang Limbore underlined that they would not allow the project to be implemented at any cost. If the government tries to threaten us, we will intensify our agitation. If the issue is not resolved through meeting the district collector in fortnight we would resume the agitation again and in a more aggressive manner.
10’s health deteriorated
The health condition of eight women and two men deteriorated during the agitation. They were rushed to the nearby government hospital in an ambulance. Tension had prevailed between the administration and the agitators over the issue for some time, it is learnt.
MLA Lanke accuses administration
Parner’s MLA Nilesh Lanke visited the place during the agitation. He said, “ Lakhs of fishermen from the two districts earn their livelihood through fishing only. They would be pushed on the verge of starvation if the solar project is implemented. Hence I had opposed the project strongly in the Nagpur session. However, the administration by violating all the norms had sanctioned the project.”