HANUMANGARH — The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Wednesday condemned the “brutal and unprovoked” police crackdown on thousands of farmers protesting against a proposed ethanol plant on multi-crop farmland in Tibbi tehsil of Hanumangarh district in Rajasthan. At least 16 farmers were injured and more than 40 arrested when police resorted to lathicharge during a massive Mahapanchayat in Rathikhera on December 10.
Over 10,000 farmers from 15 villages had gathered to intensify their 17-month-long agitation, which began in April 2024, against the establishment of a 1,320 KLPD grain-based ethanol plant and 40 MW co-generation power unit approved by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 2021. The project, promoted by Chandigarh-based Dune Ethanol Pvt Ltd, spans about 40 acres of what local farmers say is among Rajasthan’s few fertile zones, the Ghaggar basin—known for its 2–4 crop cycles and dependence on rain-fed agriculture and animal husbandry.
According to SKM, the ethanol project poses grave environmental and livelihood risks. The process of producing ethanol from food grains, it said, requires 10–17 litres of groundwater for every litre of ethanol, meaning the plant would draw massive volumes daily given its capacity of 13.2 lakh litres per day.
The byproducts—claimed to include mycotoxins, heavy metals, pesticides and harmful gases—could contaminate soil, food and water, while waste disposal risks mirror those of similar plants that have faced farmer resistance, such as the recently closed unit in Jira, Punjab.
The proposed 40 MW power plant, which would burn crop stubble or parali daily, would generate around 220 quintals of ash per day, leaving behind toxic residue. SKM pointed out the irony that while farmers are penalised for burning stubble once a year, the government is permitting a daily industrial-scale burn that could worsen air and soil pollution.
Calling the violence “state-sponsored repression”, SKM accused the BJP-led Union and Rajasthan governments of prioritising corporate interests over agrarian welfare. The organisation alleged that the ethanol push—part of the E20 fuel-blending programme—is being driven by “RSS-backed corporate monopolies” and said the Narendra Modi government is bowing to “US pressure” to import duty-free food grains through “biased FTAs”.
“Rich farmland is being usurped to serve corporate and MNC interests. This is a direct attack on India’s food security,” the farmers’ platform said, warning the government against suppressing democratic protests and ignoring “burning agrarian concerns”.
Local leaders said the administration had earlier promised fresh discussions on November 25. However, several key organisers were detained on November 19, triggering anger among villagers. The December 10 Mahapanchayat was called in response, drawing an unprecedented turnout
Tensions escalated when police moved in to disperse the gathering. Protesters alleged that the baton charge was “unprovoked”, while the force claimed it was responding to crowd aggression. Sixteen protesters sustained serious injuries in the clashes.
The farmers’ body has demanded immediate release of all protesters and compensation for the injured. It also wanted fresh dialogue with the farmers’ action committee and a categorical halt to the conversion of agricultural land for industrial projects.
SKM reiterated its full support to the Hanumangarh farmers, saying the struggle will continue until the ethanol project is scrapped.
