Protesting at the Singhu border for 106 days, the farmers have turned a area into a ‘mini village’ or Punjab pind. After salons and gyms, houses have now come up at the demonstration site. Till now, most of them had been living on trolleys attached to their tractors that were turned into makeshift rooms by the night as the temperatures fell in the national capital.
Replacing those, farmers have started building ‘pucca’ houses (permanent structures made of bricks) at the border. These houses can be easily seen when one moves a few kilometres ahead of the protest site at Singhu border.
An IANS report stated that masons have been called all the way from Punjab for the construction of houses. “On Friday, farmer leaders from Punjab discussed constructing ‘pucca’ houses at Singhu border. The meeting revolved around ways to protect farmers at the border from the scorching summer. There are four houses in all being built at the border, but their number is likely to increase. All these houses will be two-storeyed,” Karamjit Singh, who looks after the media cell of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), was quoted as saying by the news agency.
Permanent structures come up at Singhu on the Delhi-Haryana border where farmers have been protesting against three agriculture laws for the past 108 days pic.twitter.com/hdApp7pTrr— ANI (@ANI) March 13, 2021
Mosquitoes in the night and the scorching sun during the day was said to be the reason for the construction. “Due to a large number of farmers at the border, these two-storey buildings are being built and if the agitation is prolonged further, our preparations need to be stronger,” he added.
In December, small shops had cropped up on the periphery that offered daily necessities and even cheap winter clothes to those who may need it. Many college students and local organisations from Punjab had also established stalls at the protest site to offer medical aid, essential supplies and provide security.
A report in The Print stated that one such group is Patiala-based Sikh Sewa Force, which provides daily essentials such as blankets, socks, soap, medicines, sanitary napkins, oil, mosquito repellants etc, free of cost.
Free of cost salons also came up in the area where protesters were getting their beards shaved and hair cut. Some farmers, who were also professional kabaddi players, arrived with heavyweight equipment and soon an open-air ‘gym’ began. To initiate reading, discussions and debates, a sahitya chaupal (studying space) too was arranged.
A barber shaves the beard of a farmer during a protest against new farm laws. PTI
Makeshift gym at Singhu Border. ANI
House being constructed at Singhu border. Special Arrangement.
Manjit Singh Rai, President of BKU-Doaba said that the local SHO tried to stop the construction in Kundli on Friday stating pressure from the higher authorities as the reason. He added that farmers are building houses at the protest site to survive the heat.
Farmers have been agitating on Delhi’s borders since November 26, seeking the repeal of three agricultural laws passed by the Centre.
Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here
Comments
0 comment