As the dharna by Chanot villagers entered its 56th day on Friday, farmer organisations and khap panchayats gave Haryana Chief Minister (CM) Nayab Singh Saini an ultimatum until July 14 to accept their demand for a T-joint from the Bhakra drinking water pipeline for Chanot village.

After the meeting, they warned that if the demand is not met by then, the members of khap panchayat, social organisations and villagers from Chanot will reach Jind in large numbers on July 17, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address a rally, and raise their demand before him.

The meeting lasted for about three hours and later unanimously resolved that the protest would continue until Chanot village is provided drinking water through a T-connection from the Bhakra pipeline.

Presiding over the mahapanchayat, pradhan of the Rodhi khap Hardeep Sharma said the Chief Minister had been given time till July 14. He warned that if the demand remained unresolved, there would be no further talks with the Chief Minister on completion of this deadline, and the protesters would take up the matter only with the Prime Minister.

Representatives of farmer organisations and khap panchayats said providing clean drinking water to every resident was the government's constitutional responsibility. They alleged that while it was some persons who claimed to represent the government were instrumental in fitting the T-joint on pipelines on June 20, but later the connection was closed and even the villagers faced criminal cases.

The khap leaders maintained that while the Chief Minister has agreed to supply of Yamuna water to Rajasthan through pipelines as per an earlier agreement, people within Haryana are still forced to sit on protest for drinking water which raises serious questions about the priorities of this government.

The khap representatives reiterated that if no positive step is taken by July 14, they will try to meet Prime Minister Modi on July 17 during his visit to Jind and will press for a T-joint from the Bhakra pipeline for Chanot village.

“We cannot be stopped from going ahead to attend the Jind rally. Whatever method we have to adopt, we will ensure that our voice reaches the Prime Minister," they said unanimously, adding that they had resolved to strengthen the ongoing agitation.

The dharna started on May 16 on the demand to avail water to teh waterworks in Chanot village from the Bhakra pipeline which is being laid to fetch water for Hansi town from Rajli head of Bhakra's Barwala branch canal.

The administration has refused to accept the demand stating that this pipeline is meant only for urban areas under the AMRUT.02 scheme.