Farmers lock Karnal market office gates over delay in digital weighing machines

Angered over the non-installation of digital weighing machines by commission agents at the Karnal grain market, farmers under the banner of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) locked the gates of the Market Committee office on Tuesday and staged a three-hour protest.

Led by BKU district president Surender Singh Ghumman and senior leader Prem Chand Shahpur, the protest saw farmers raising slogans against the government and questioning the functioning of the grain market administration. BKU state president Rattan Mann also addressed the gathering.

Farmers said digital weighing scales were essential to ensure fair procurement and transparency in transactions. “The state government has issued directions for installing digital weighing machines in grain markets, but even days after the start of the procurement season, the majority of commission agents are yet to install them,” Mann said.

Before marching to the mandi, farmers held a meeting inside the Market Committee premises. They alleged that when they approached the office for talks, no official was present, which sparked further anger and led them to lock the gates.

Later, Market Committee secretary Asha Rani and Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board (HSAMB) District Marketing Enforcement Officer Ishwar Rana reached the spot. They assured the agitators that commission agents would be directed to comply with the state government’s orders. The officials promised that all shops in the mandi would have digital weighing machines installed within eight days.

The assurance, however, did not end farmer concerns. “If the promise is not fulfilled within the stipulated time, the agitation will intensify. We will not hesitate to block the National Highway near the grain market, and the responsibility will lie with HSAMB officials,” Mann warned. He also urged Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini to personally visit grain markets across the state to assess the ground reality.

DMEO Rana reiterated the commitment, saying, “I have assured the farmers that we will ensure the installation of digital weighing machines within eight days in Karnal grain market.”