Lumpy skin disease: Kisan unions demand financial aid for dairy farmers

Jalandhar, September 5

Members of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, on Monday, carried out a march near the Circuit House in Jalandhar; and handed over a copy of memorandum of their demands to Aam Aadmi Party MLA Sheetal Angural.

The farmers, led by the Doaba Kisan Sangharsh Committee president, Balwinder Singh Malhi Nangal, shared that they are demanding a compensation of Rs 1 lakh for every dairy animal that has died of the lumpy skin disease, and Rs 50,000 for every ailing animal.

The leaders of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Doaba), the BKU (Lakhowal), the Mahila Kisan Union and the Kul Hind Kisan Sabha also joined the farmers in their protest. The protesters had initially planned to hand over a copy of the memorandum to MLAs Raman Arora and Balkar Singh. But since neither of them turned up, they chose to carry out a march in protest. They also called for the government to dole out an order for conducting a proper burial for the cattle dying of the lumpy skin disease. The farmers are also seeking government intervention for testing milk samples, flagging the practice of adulteration. AAP MLA Sheetal Angural spoke with the agitating farmers, and accepted a copy of the memorandum of demands.