Deadlock between sugarcane farmers, admn comes to an end

Our Correspondent

Dasuya, November 18

After blocking the Jalandhar-Jammu national highway and the Jalandhar-Jammu rail route in the past two days, sugarcane growers called off their protest at Garna Sahib village near Dasuya on Saturday.

In the past 30 hours, the administration held several rounds of talks with farmer leaders, but it failed to convince them.

Later in the evening, after a 4-hour long meeting with the Deputy Commissioner, farmer leaders agreed to remove the blockade. During the meeting, it was decided that Rs200 crore out of the balance amount of the farmers pending on the sugar mills would be credited to their accounts within a week. Besides, the balance amount will be paid when the mills start crushing.

Their other demands will be considered sympathetically by the government.

The farmers said they were lifting the dharna and blockade for the time being. The sugarcane growers added that they would take everything in written from the administration on Monday. They warned that if their demands were not met, they would restart their agitation with more intensity.

This afternoon, farmer leaders Baldev Singh Sirsa, Manjit Singh Rai, Balwinder Singh Raju, Gaganpreet Singh and Kirpal Singh held a meeting with DC Isha Kalia. After the meeting, which continued for nearly four hours, the administration accepted the demands of the farmers.

SDM Dasuya Harcharan Singh made farmers aware of the development at the dharna site.

Sukhpal Singh Duffer, president, Ganna Sangharsh Committee, said, “According to the agreement, of the balance of last year’s cane amount, Rs200 crore would be credited to farmers’ accounts within a week. The balance amount will be paid before mills start and the rate for this year will be Rs310 per quintal. It has also been decided that farmers will soon meet Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh. At a meeting with the Chief Minister, they will seek the higher rate for cane.”

Prior to it in the morning, IG Naunihal Singh and the Hoshiarpur SSP reached the protesting site and took stock of the situation. At that time, the IG refused to say anything, but the SSP said negotiations were on to resolve the issue. DC Isha Kalia was camping in the SDM’s office here.

In the afternoon, a five-member delegation of farmers was called to negotiate and resolve the problem. In the morning Jagjit Singh Dulewal, president, Indian Farmers’ Union, also announced their support to farmers.

Apart from that, district president of the Jamhuri Kisan Sabha Swarn Singh and president of the Border Sangharsh Committee Gurdeep Singh had also come in support of the agitating farmers.