Punjab farmers to go ahead with ‘rail roko’ from today
Wednesday, 07/10/2015
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BATHINDA/CHANDIGARH: Protesting against inadequate compensation for the cotton crop loss due to the whitefly attack in the state, eight farm organisations in Punjab will hold a two-day ‘rail roko’ programme from Wednesday, even as the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has appealed to them not to go ahead with the protest.
Farmers plan to block railway lines leading to the national capital from the state. The places chosen for the purpose are Phagwara (Kapurthala), Beas (Amritsar), Rampura town (Bathinda), Shergarh and Pathrala villages (Muktsar), Patiala city, and Dagru village (Moga). Rail lines would also be blocked in Ludhiana, Sangrur and Gurdaspur districts.
Farmers are demanding compensation of `40,000 per acre for the loss to their cotton crop and `20,000 per acre to farm labourers. They are also seeking `4,500 per quintal for 1509 basmati variety and `5,000 for the 1121 variety, and clearance of sugarcane dues.
Meanwhile, Akali MPs Prem Singh Chandumajra and Balwinder Singh Bhunder asked the protesting farmer organisations not to cause disruption and chaos in the state for their “narrow vested interests”.
