CITU and Kisan Sabha Protest Against Damage Caused by Gawar, Bharat, and Singla Companies in Himachal

Protest Against Damage Caused by Gawar, Bharat, and Singla Companies in Himachal Pradesh

CITU and Himachal Kisan Sabha staged a strong protest outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Shimla against the destruction of houses by Gawar, Bharat, and Singla companies, failure to provide 80% employment to locals, denial of fair compensation to affected individuals, illegal mining, dumping, unscientific cutting, violation of labor laws, bonded labor, slavery, intimidation of workers through hired goons, environmental damage, and harm to agriculture, crops, vegetables, and public health due to dust and soil pollution.

Prominent participants in the protest included CITU State President Vijendra Mehra, Vice President Jagat Ram, Himachal Kisan Sabha President Dr. Kuldeep Singh Tanwar, Sanjay Chauhan (Co-Convener of the Joint Farmers’ Struggle Committee), Jay Shiv Thakur, Gobind Chitrantha, Ranjana Verma (affected by four-lane construction), Reena Rapta, Sapna Chauhan, L.R. Kaundal, Chandrakala, Brij Lal Zhangta, Ajay Kashyap, Hetharam Thakur, Rup Ram, Sushil Kumar, Chetan Garg, Dhruv Chauhan, Jagmohan Thakur, Dr. Vijay Kaushal, Vivek Kashyap, Ram Singh, Himi Devi, Pratap Thakur, Ankit Dubey, Sunil Vashisth, Mehr Singh Pal, Ram Prakash, Ranjeet Kuthiyala, Pratap Chauhan, Kapil Negi, Chetram, Virendra Lal Pamta, Nokh Ram, Darshan Lal, Rakesh Salman, Shabbu Alam, Naresh Kumar, Jaswant Singh, Om Prakash Garg, Bhup Singh, Deep Ram, Anuj, Chaman, Nisha, Sarina, Uma, Bhumi, Dhani Ram, Sunita, Radheshyam, and others.

Later, a delegation from CITU and Himachal Kisan Sabha met with the Shimla Deputy Commissioner and demanded immediate compensation for the affected people. The delegation also called for the registration of an FIR against Gawar Company officials and strict legal action.

Leaders Highlight Corruption and Exploitation

Addressing the protest at the DC office, Vijendra Mehra, Dr. Kuldeep Singh Tanwar, Sanjay Chauhan, Jay Shiv Thakur, Vivek Kashyap, Ranjana Verma, Reena Rapta, and Sapna Chauhan stated that a strong nexus has formed between politicians, companies, and bureaucrats in Himachal Pradesh, leading to massive exploitation of the state’s resources and people. A recent example of this nexus is the chaotic operations of Gawar Company, the constructor of four-lane highways in Shimla and Mandi’s Dharmpur.

The company is flouting rules, causing severe damage to houses, land, cow shelters, schools, and public resources. In Mandi’s Dharmpur, reckless road construction led to the collapse of an under-construction bridge, leaving a school on the verge of collapse. Unscientific cutting, mining, and dumping by the company have also caused significant damage in Shimla, including the destruction of one house and threats to eight others.

Workers Facing Exploitation and Abuse

The companies (Gawar, Bharat, and Singla) are not providing employment to locals as mandated. Hundreds of workers employed by these companies are living in miserable conditions—forced to stay in cramped rooms like cattle, made to work 12-hour shifts but paid for only 8 hours, denied EPF, ESI, and leave benefits, and often not receiving wages on time (sometimes for months). Despite the 2003 Himachal Pradesh Assembly law, workers are not even provided ID cards.

Workers are given substandard food in mess facilities. When they demand the enforcement of labor laws, they are threatened and physically assaulted by goons and bouncers brought from Haryana and Punjab. Several police complaints have been filed regarding these attacks.

The silence of the Labor Department on labor law violations, police inaction on worker assaults, and the state government’s failure to enforce the 80% local employment policy raise serious questions. The reckless destruction of Himachal’s mountains through unscientific cutting, illegal dumping, and mining indicates that the state administration has given these companies a free hand.

Demands of CITU and Himachal Kisan Sabha

1. Compensation: ₹5 crore each for houses destroyed or endangered due to Gawar Company’s four-lane construction.
2. Legal Action: Strict action against Gawar, Bharat, and Singla companies, as well as the National Highway Authority of India, for violating regulations.
3. Labor Rights: Punishment for labor officials ignoring violations; enforcement of labor laws in these companies.
4. Local Employment: 80% jobs for locals in these companies.
5. Fair Compensation: Proper compensation for all affected by road construction.
6. Stop Illegal Activities: Ban on illegal mining and dumping; halt to unscientific road construction.
7. Action Against Goons: Crackdown on bouncers and goons intimidating workers.
8. Probe Collusion: Investigation into the nexus between companies and administration.

CITU had previously met with the Shimla SP two months ago demanding action against the goon culture promoted by these companies, but no concrete steps were taken.

The protesters warned that if their demands are not met, they will intensify their agitation.