Farmers to hold rally to protest privatisation

Chandigarh, Dec 5: The Anti-Privatisation Coordination Committee, comprising 17 organisations of peasants, agricultural and industrial workers, will organise a rally here tomorrow in protest against the proposed unbundling of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) and privatisation in other areas.

Addressing a joint press conference here, Committee leaders Punjab CTU chief Mangat Ram Pasla and Kirti Kisan Union president Hardev Singh Sandhu said the privatisation of the power sector would hit hard the farmers who would not be able to get any subsidy.

They also took exception to the Punjab governmet's move to privatise the education sector, saying it would make impossible for the farmers and poor sections of the society to educate their children.

Similarly, they said the healthcare had also become expensive with the setting up of the Health Systems Corporation in the state.

Also, the toll plazas set up at various places had made it difficult for the common man to move about on the state roads, they said.

Pointing out the crisis of drinking water in various parts of the state, they said the people in the villages were forced to purchase drinking water from private sources.

They said the rally would raise a strong voice against the unbundling of the PSEB and the increasing privatisation in other areas in the state.

The other constituents of the Committee were AICTU, IFTU, Bharti Kisan Union (Krantikari), Mazdoor Mukti Morcha, Jamhoori Kisan Sabha, Punjab Kisan Union, Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta), Dehati Mazdoor Sabha, Bharti Kisan Union (Sidhupur), Pendu Mazdoor union, Pendu Mazdoor Union (Mashal), Pendu Mazdoor Union (Krantikari), Khetibari Kisan Vikas Front, Moulder and Steel Workers Union and Kisan Sangharsh Committee.

UNI