Farmer bodies protest in Hisar, demand immediate flood relief

Farmers and workers from flood-affected villages on Monday took out a protest demonstration against alleged insensitive and inept handling of the flood situation in Hisar district.

The protest was jointly organised by Hisar district units of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), CITU and All India Agriculture Workers Union. Hundreds of protesters gathered at the Krantimaan park and walked to the Mini-Secretariat raising demand for immediate dewatering of the flood waters, Rs 70,000 compensation per acre for damaged crops, adequate compensation for damaged houses, financial assistance to landless labourers, Mnrega work in a big way, ration for displaced families and other relief measures.

Led by AIKS national vice-president Inderjit Singh, Shamsher Nambardar, Suresh Kumar, Rohtas Rajli and others, the protesters reached the Mini-Secretariat where main entrance was closed by the police who had a tough time in preventing their entry. They finally sat there virtually blocking the entrance.

They later submitted a memorandum containing the urgent issues to the Deputy Commissioner and sought concrete response from the administration. Finding the response of the DC casual and unsatisfactory, the leadership warned a pucca morcha if action was not taken within two weeks.

Addressing the gathering Inderjit Singh discounted that it was a natural calamity and squarely blamed the government and its administration for total failure in taking effective preventive measures despite weather forecast of heavy rains. He criticised the double engine government for not providing any financial assistance for Haryana. Others addressing the protesters included Dinesh Siwach, Miya Singh, Manoj Soni and Shakuntala Jakhar.