Farmers not allowed at Mann’s flood relief event

Amidst protest by farmers, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann here handed over cheques worth Rs 5.70 crore as compensation to 631 flood victims of Ajnala.

Mann claimed that a new benchmark of public service delivery had been set as compensation was distributed 15 days ahead of the scheduled 45-day deadline.

Meanwhile, activists of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, led by Sarwan Singh Pandher, staged a protest near the state-run sugar mill at Bhala village, the venue for Mann’s event. Earlier, the police allowed farmers an opportunity to hold a peaceful protest along the road leading to the sugar mill. After some time, complaining of not getting answers to their questions, the farmers moved to the venue to seek answers from the CM pertaining to “inadequate relief”.

The police, citing security reasons, stopped them. After brief arguments, officials assured farmers that their concerns would be conveyed to Mann, but before any interaction could take place, he left in a helicopter. During the ceremony, the CM said starting Tuesday, Cabinet ministers would begin giving compensation in the remaining 19 districts, covering a total of 825 villages.