Farmers issue 20-day ultimatum over ethanol factory in Hanumangarh in Mahapanchayat
JAIPUR: Amid fears and tensions, the grand Mahapanchayat of farmers protesting against the proposed ethanol factory in Hanumangarh passed off peacefully on Wednesday. The Mahapanchayat demanded the closure of Asia's largest ethanol factory being planned in Rathikhera village of the Tibbi area. After talks between farmer leaders and the district administration, the farmers' body called off the protest for the moment, but it has issued a 20-day ultimatum to the Rajasthan government to announce the closure of the controversial project being set up in the fertile region of the State. Farmer organisations allege that the ethanol factory will hurt the region's water resources, environment, and agriculture, which has caused great anger among the local farmers. Farmers argue that the ethanol factory will lead to a decline in groundwater levels and cause air and water pollution, which will adversely impact agriculture and the local environment. Farmer leaders from various organisations arrived in Hanumangarh for the Mahapanchayat at the Junction Mandi complex. Senior farmer leaders Joginder Singh Ugrahan and Gurnam Singh Chaduni, along with Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait, reached the protest site to extend support to the agitating farmers. The farmer leaders have warned the administration that the protest will continue until a permanent order to close the factory is issued. Farmer representatives have asserted that the agitation will continue until the construction of the factory is stopped. During the discussions, the farmers demanded the cancellation of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed for the ethanol factory and the immediate withdrawal of cases registered against protesting farmers. The administration assured the leaders that the demands would be forwarded to the State government for consideration, though no immediate decision was taken. Farmer leaders warned that another Mahapanchayat would be convened if their demands were not met. They also announced plans to hold a Mahapanchayat in Sangaria on January 7 if the matter remains unresolved. Senior farmer leader Rakesh Tikait asserted, The United Front and the farmers of the country stand with the Joint Committee of farmers. There is opposition to the ethanol factory. If the people of the area do not want the factory, then it will not be allowed to be built here. The local committee is in talks with the administration, which should have this plant removed. Farmer leader Mangej Chaudhary said that during the talks, the leaders reiterated that the construction of the ethanol factory would adversely affect agriculture in the region. Protests against the plant have been ongoing for over a year. A largely peaceful agitation continued for nearly ten months, from September 2024 to June 2025, but intensified in July 2025 after the company began constructing a boundary wall at the site. On December 10, farmers staged a large protest outside the Tibbi Sub-Divisional Magistrates office. Later in the day, hundreds of farmers reached the factory site with tractors, where the boundary wall was damaged, and clashes broke out with the police. To disperse the crowd, police used tear gas and later resorted to a lathi charge.
15 C
