Karnal: Cotton growers begin sit-in for compensation

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Karnal, February 7

Farmers from various districts today started two days dharna outside the Mini Secretariat for compensation for the cotton crop. The farmers also threatened and also raised slogans against the government to extend dharna if compensation was not released. Members of various farmer unions are participating in the dharna.

Dilbag Hooda, a Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader, said they were here to raise the issue of compensation for cotton farmers, who had suffered losses in 2020. There were discrepancies in the survey conducted by the insurance company and the Revenue Department, he added.

“The Punjab Government has paid Rs 5 lakh to the family of each farmer, who died during farmers’ agitation. In Haryana, families of all deceased farmers have yet to receive compensation. The FIRs have also not been fully cancelled,” he said.

Suresh Kumar, a farmer from Fatehabad, said they were protesting for the compensation. A case should be registered against insurance company for not releasing compensation, he added. He also raised the issue of discontinuing farmers’ pension.

Mandeep Singh from Pagri Sambhal Jatta Sangharsh Samiti said the compensation amount had not been credited in farmers’ bank accounts. “We will decide future course of action at a meeting tomorrow,” he added.

A woman protestor said the government was claiming to have disbursed compensation, but in reality many farmers were still waiting for it. Besides, many farmers are waiting for tube well connections even after depositing the fee.