Farmer blockade spells chaos in Lalru, Dera Bassi, Mohali areas

Commuters were inconvenienced as several farmer unions blocked inter-state and inter-district roads for three hours (from 12 noon to 3 pm) today. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) had announced a statewide three-hour blockade against the tardy procurement of paddy.

Rice millers and commission agents also joined in the protest. With the wedding season on, the protest played spoilsport for many marriage parties in the afternoon. Motorists had to take detours to reach their destinations. They condemned frequent protests and blockades by farmer unions.

The protesters said they planned the blockade for Sunday to minimise inconvenience to the public. “Every blockade had an alternative route so that people do not face problem in emergency. Since the state government and the Centre were not listening to us, we had to resort to the protest,” they said.

At the Dappar toll plaza in Lalru, there was chaos as vehicles stuck in a traffic jam tried to take a U-turn.

Leaders of the SKM and the Bharti Kisan Union (BKU), Lakhowal, blocked the national highway from 12 noon to 3 pm, highlighting the difficulties being faced by farmers in paddy procurement.

The connectivity on the Punjab-Haryana border was affected due to the blockade in Lalru. The nearby town of Dera Bassi, too, witnessed chaotic traffic in the afternoon.

Farmers blocked the road near the Bhagomajra toll plaza and shouted slogans against the state government. The protesters blocked the Landran chowk by putting up tyres on the road. Commuters said the protesters blocked almost all major roads.

At Ropar, farmers squatted on the national highway near the Solkhian toll plaza. The BKU (Lakhowal) general secretary, Jaspal Singh Niamian, said the state government had failed in beginning paddy procurement from October 1.