Punjab Government’s new desilting policy has divided villagers in areas along the Sutlej river in Ropar district, with residents pitching against each other over mining activities being carried out under the ‘Mera Ret, Meri Khet’ scheme.Tensions surfaced on Saturday near Agampur village in Anandpur Sahib subdivision when residents of Harsa Bela village, along with farmers and social organisations, staged a protest and blocked traffic on the Sangatpur-Thaana bridge for nearly half an hour. Protesters alleged that large-scale mining was being conducted in the name of desilting and flood protection.However, another group of villagers supported the desilting work, arguing that the removal of sand and gravel from around bridge pillars was necessary to prevent flooding during the monsoon. The disagreement led to heated exchanges between the two groups during the protest.The protesters claimed that mining activity near the bridge pillars posed a threat to the structure and nearby villages. They also questioned why excavated material was being sold to stone crushers if the exercise was purely meant for flood protection.Farmer leaders and social activists accused the Mining Department of permitting commercial mining under the cover of desilting. They alleged that warning boards prohibiting mining near the bridge had disappeared and demanded that authorities make public all approvals related to the project.The situation became tense when some residents of Harsa Bela village interrupted the protest gathering, resulting in arguments between supporters and opponents of the policy. Congress leader Varinder Singh Dhillon also reached the site and reportedly confronted Mining Department officials over the issue.Mining Department officials defended the exercise, stating that it was being conducted strictly for flood prevention. Mining SDO Narendra Kumar assured villagers that desilting would remain within a depth of four feet and was aimed at ensuring smooth water flow near the bridge during heavy rain.Executive Engineer Bhavuk Sharma said landowners were selling the removed sand and gravel only to recover the cost of desilting operations. He maintained that the department’s objective was solely to lower the riverbed level as a preventive measure against floods.Police personnel remained deployed at the site for several hours as officials negotiated with protesters and local residents. Traffic was later restored after the administration assured villagers that their concerns would be examined.Later, officials held a meeting at the Mining Department office in Anandpur Sahib and shared details of approved desilting points near Harsa Bela and Agampur villages.Despite the meeting, farmer organisations warned of intensified protests if any irregularities were found. The controversy has highlighted growing divisions among villagers in riverbed areas, with one section viewing the policy as essential for flood prevention while another fears it could open the door to unchecked mining.