Farm unions up the ante against govts

Ruchika M Khanna

Chandigarh, September 23

Farmers in Punjab are once again getting restive over non-release of compensation for the crop loss suffered during the paddy and previous season, ban on export of basmati rice and for not making the minimum support price (MSP) a legal guarantee.

While 19 farm unions today threatened to block the railway tracks for three days beginning September 28, three other unions also decided to block the national highways over their unfulfilled demands on September 30.

Flood relief issue

• Revenue Minister Bram Shankar Jimpa expressed surprise after several farm unions alleged the non-release of compensation to the flood-affected farmers
• “We have already transferred Rs 119.36 crore into the accounts of affected farmers. Though we had to increase the relief, the Centre did not approve it,” the minister said

Three Doaba-based farm unions announced to stage a protest against the management of Phagwara Sugar Mill on September 27 over non-payment of their dues.

Three unions — BKU (Khosla), BKU (Mansa) and Kisan Sangharsh Committee — today announced to protest against the state government and the Centre over not giving compensation to farmers.

Sukhjinder S Khosa, chief, BKU (Khosa), said they would block the Harike Headworks road, Amritsar-Delhi highway, Ferozepur-Ludhiana, Moga-Baghapurana, Ropar-Chandigarh highway and Sriganganagar-Abohar road on September 30.