Farmers’ stir: ‘Z’ category security for milk trucks in Maharashtra

Shiv Kumar

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, June 5

The state-wide bandh called by farmers in Maharashtra on Monday as part of their indefinite strike received only a lukewarm response as the administration pulled out all stops to ensure that supplies to cities were not affected.

State government officials said local and state police personnel were deployed on major highways to ensure that trucks carrying fruits, vegetables and milk were not stopped by protesting farmers. “We have provided ‘Z’ category security to tankers transporting milk to Mumbai,” a Home Department official said. Normally ‘Z’ category security is provided to top prominent personalities who face threat to their lives.

A few milk co-operatives from Kolhapur, Sangli and Satara controlled by top politicians broke ranks with the protesting farmers to procure milk from their members and supply them to Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Pune and other cities, officials said.

However the supply of fruits and vegetables were affected in Mumbai as farmers in Nashik, which accounts for most of the supplies to the city, have intensfied their protests. Police said protesters had
damaged several trucks and several vehicles were burnt during the state-wide bandh today. The police have banned mobile Internet in and around Nashik to control the situation, officials said.

National highways passing via Nashik were blocked by protesting farmers who parked bullock carts on the middle of the roads. Movement of traffic was restored after the police cleared the obstructions and
reopened the major roads passing through the district, officials said.

Traders at the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee’s market at Vashi in Navi Mumbai said they were receiving trucks from various parts of India though supplies from Nashik have stopped. Consequently prices of fruits and vegetables are higher in the wholesale and retail markets, traders said.

Life in Mumbai was normal as the city was exempted from the Maharashtra bandh. Representatives of various farmer organisations also formed a new 21-member core committee comprising veteran leaders including Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana’s Member of Parliament Raju Shetty, Maharashtra Kisan Sabha leader Ajit Nawale, Shetkari Sanghatana leader Raghunath Patil and Independent legislator Bachu Kadu to plan their future course of action.

The Shiv Sena, which is part of the Devendra Fadnavis government in Maharashtra, also extended its support to the farmers’ strike and the state bandh today.