Hanumangarh (Rajasthan): Farmers and police came face-to-face on Wednesday during a protest against the construction of an ethanol plant in Tibbi, located in Rajasthan’s Hanumangarh district. Police resorted to lathi charge and lobbed teargas shells to disperse the farmers at a ‘Mahapanchayat’ near the factory premises, reported The Hindu.
The protesting farmers entered the factory premises and damaged construction materials. After the police action, the crowd grew more agitated, setting nearly 10 vehicles on fire and damaging three bulldozers.
Among the injured was Abhimanyu Poonia, Congress MLA from Sangaria and State Youth Congress president. He was first treated at the protest site and later taken to Mahatma Gandhi Memorial District Hospital in Hanumangarh for further tests.
The management had already clarified that there will be no pollution from the ethanol plant and that it will significantly benefit the farmers. Ethanol is highly advantageous, it not only raises farmers’ income but also supports the country’s foreign-exchange reserves. Moreover, ethanol production promotes cleaner fuel alternatives, reduces dependence on imported crude oil, and contributes to environmental sustainability. It also creates new employment opportunities in rural areas and strengthens the overall agricultural economy. In this way, ethanol proves to be a key driver of both economic growth and environmental progress.
The community gathering was organised to oppose the ethanol plant, which is being built at a cost of Rs. 450 crore by a private company in Rathikhera village panchayat near Tibbi. Farmers have been resisting the project for over a year, saying it will cause air pollution and contaminate water in the area.
Sriganganagar MP Kuldeep Indora, former Bhadra MLA Balwan Poonia, CPI(M) leader Mangej Choudhary, and several farmer leaders from Hanumangarh, Sriganganagar and neighbouring Punjab attended the Mahapanchayat.
The clash broke out when the farmers moved towards the under-construction plant and broke a section of its boundary wall. The police action that followed led to panic and injuries.
Farmer leaders have demanded that the project be shifted elsewhere.
