Delhi-Jaipur highway cleared

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Rewari, January 27

Around 1,000 farmers from Punjab and Rajasthan camping on the Delhi-Jaipur highway since January 3 shifted their dharna to the Shahjahanpur border in Rajasthan today after a panchayat of more than 10 villages served them a 24-hour ultimatum to clear the highway. The panchayat, presided over by Masani village sarpanch Capt Lalaram Yadav, was held in the district’s Dungarvaas village. It discussed the situation arising out of the road blockade.

“Because the highway was blocked, heavy vehicles plied on village roads. As a result, water pipelines and roads have been damaged. Villagers are facing the problem of water shortage. The panchayat was organised against this backdrop,” Yadav said, adding residents of Dungarvaas, Masani, Jonavaas, Titarpur, Niganiavaas, Kharkara, Rasgan, Jeetpura and Nikhri were present at the panchayat.

After the panchayat, a delegation of villagers apprised the district administration of its decision and met farmers asking them to shift their dharna to another place, sources said.

The district administration, too, urged farmers to clear the highway to prevent confrontation between them and villagers.