There is a lot of buzz on social media these days about the Mattewara forest in Ludhiana district in Punjab. The concern is that the existence of this forest may be threatened due to the proposed industrial policy of the Punjab Government.

In fact, the Punjab government had recently given approval to set up a modern industrial park and integrated production cluster at Mattewara (Ludhiana) and Rajpura (Patiala) on 2000 acres of government and panchayat land at a cost of Rs. 3200 crore.

As far as Rajpura was concerned, it was okay, but Mattewara and its surrounding villages and environmentalists are worried about the proposed industrial park.

While the Punjab government has stressed that its proposed 1,000 acre industrial park does not fall in the forest area of Mattewara but close to it, environmental activists and villagers are concerned that it could disturb the ecology of the area.

The park would be built on the acquired Panchayat lands of nearby villages, including land acquired by the Animal Husbandry Department and other departments. The future of Mattewara’s forest is making daily headlines on social media as well as in newspapers.

What is the government’s plan?

As per the plan of the Punjab Government, both these projects would help in accelerating the pace of industrialization and increasing the employment potential on a large scale for the economic growth of the state.

The two projects to be set up in 1000-1000 acres at a cost of Rs. 1600-1600 crore would cater to the needs of potential entrepreneurs to set up their projects expeditiously.

For these projects Panchayat land would be purchased by the Department of Housing and Urban Development for development as a mixed land use / industrial park / integrated production cluster (IMC). According to the government, it will provide employment to a large number of youth where there will be industrial development.

What is the protest for?

The modern industrial park to be set up at Mattewara is to be set up on 955.6 acres of land out of which 207.07 acres belong to the Animal Husbandry Department, 285.1 acres to the Rehabilitation Department (Potato Seed Farm), 416.1 acres to Gram Panchayat Sekhowal, 27.1 acres to Gram Panchayat Salempur (Potato). Seed Farm) and 20.3 acres of Gram Panchayat Cells.

Environmentalist Gangveer Singh Rathore said that the government has made it clear that the industrial park is not being set up in the forest area but the land on which it is being built falls close to the Sutlej river.

He said that with the advent of industry and population, pollution in the areas around the Sutlej would increase.

He questioned that earlier the government had acquired lands in the name of focal points and it should be seen how much industry there was.

According to Gangveer, Sekhowal village, where most of the land is being acquired, has a majority Dalit population and their livelihood depends on agriculture. It is not yet clear what will happen to these people if there is no land.

Displacement of Dalit community

Among the industrial parks being set up by the government, most of the land belongs to Sekhowal village. The government is going to acquire 416.1 acres of land in this village.

Settled on the banks of the Sutlej, the villagers belong to Dalit families.

“The population of the village belongs to the Dalit community and the general class is not here,” Dheera Singh, a former sarpanch of Sekhowal village, told media

“The land belongs to the panchayat but the villagers have been cultivating it. “Our elders have settled the land and the government took over the land to set up a potato seed research center, but the court ruled in favour of the panchayat.”

He said that the government was working to resettle the people but the Captain’s government was on the path of their displacement.

According to Dhira Singh, the people of the village are poor and illiterate, their source of livelihood is panchayat land and that too is being taken away by the government. He said that although the government has announced to set up an industrial park but they have planted paddy on the land.

The Government’s Argument

The Punjab Government has made it clear that no industrial park would be set up on the Mattewara forest land and only government and panchayat lands would be used for the required industrial development in the state.

As per the clarification of the government, no part of the 2300 acres of forest area of ​​Mattewara is being used in the proposed 1000 acres of development.

According to the government, government and panchayat lands of villages Haider Nagar, Sekhowal, Salempur, Selkiana and Machhia-Kalan are being used for the proposed industrial / mixed land use estate and appropriate compensation will be given to the land owners. The government is well aware of the importance of keeping all rivers, including the Sutlej, clean.

According to the government, a 6-lane high-rise road along the Sutlej River adjoining the Mattewara Industrial Park would be constructed as a dam against floods to ensure that no contaminants were dumped into the river by anyone.

At the same time, there are plans to build only pollution free units, offices, recreational activities, staff quarters and hotels in front of the river, though Ludhiana as the industrial hub of the state will be expanded with the expansion of industrial activities and Covid-19. A planned space is needed to assist the state in dealing with it.

Protest among environmentalists

Social media tags #Save_mattewara_save_satluj #save_mattewara_save_punjab #saveMattewaraForest are already trending viral on this issue.

In an interview by SinghStation team with Sikh Chintak & Activist Dr. Prabhsharanbir Singh revealed some shocking figures as to how the forest cover of Punjab is depleting. He also appealed all organisations to come together over this issue and become part of the campaign.

In his Facebook message, Ravneet Singh, who is involved in increasing the forest cover in Punjab through the EcoSikh organization, said that the forest of Mattewara provides pure oxygen to the people of Ludhiana.

According to Ravneet Singh, the forest cover in Punjab is already very small. The government had last year launched a scheme to plant 550 saplings in every village on the occasion of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.

He questioned that on one hand the government was launching a scheme for deforestation and on the other hand it was on the path of deforestation.

The Punjab University student body Sath has also opposed the government’s decision. The leader of the society, Jujhar Singh, said that the land on which the government was going to build an industrial park was very close to the Mattewara forest.

This forest is playing an important role in maintaining the natural environment of the area and the environment of the surrounding area. The society said that this decision of the government was going to ruin the future of Punjab.

Another leader of the society, Sukhwinder Singh, said that he had visited the entire area, during which it was revealed that the government was acquiring most of the land in Sekhowal village and the population of the village was religious. The only source of livelihood for them is agriculture.

He said that this village was on the banks of Sutlej and these people did not have any other land besides this Panchayat land.