After 50 days atop 200-foot tower in Punjab, 2 elderly dam oustees climb down

Two elderly protesters are being lowered from the electricity tower with the help of a crane.

PATHANKOT: After enduring 50 days of inclement weather on a makeshift tarpaulin platform atop a 200-foot-high electricity tower, two elderly men in their seventies and eighties ended their protest and climbed down on Monday following an assurance from the district administration that a meeting with Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal would be arranged within a week.The two protesters, Sharm Singh, 82, and Kulwinder Singh, 72, had climbed the tower on August 25 near the residence of the Pathankot deputy commissioner in Madhour village, around 10 km from the city, to press their demands concerning the Shahpur Kandi Dam project.Dayal Singh, president of the Barrage Oustees Sangharsh Committee, said the two men agreed to end their protest after the district administration assured them of a meeting with the minister and the secretary of the Water Resources Department.Speaking to TOI after returning home, Kulwinder Singh said the administration and the 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 demanding the termination of around three dozen people appointed by the dam management or jobs for their kin.

Kulwinder said their land had been acquired for the construction of the dam for a meagre compensation of Rs 2,700 per kanal. They were also promised jobs for their children, but their expectations remained unfulfilled, he alleged. He said their protest was aimed at securing justice for the oustees who had sacrificed their land for the project but were still waiting for the promised rehabilitation and employment opportunities.Asked how they managed to spend 50 days atop the tower, exposed to heavy rain, storms and other weather conditions, Kulwinder said the hardships had only strengthened their resolve. The two men remained on a makeshift platform measuring nearly 4 feet by 4 feet, braving the elements while their families and supporters waited anxiously for a resolution. The height and precarious conditions made their protest physically demanding, particularly given their advanced age.However, they remained determined to continue their struggle until their demands were addressed. Kulwinder said climbing down did not mean they had abandoned their cause. They had accepted the administration's assurance in the hope that the promised meeting would lead to a concrete decision. If the government failed to honour its commitment, they would consider intensifying their agitation, he warned.EOM

Pic: Two elderly protesters are being lowered from the electricity tower with the help of a crane.