Labourers protest cap on wages by villages

Mahesh Sharma

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Mandi Ahmedgarh/ Raikot, June 13

Farmers and migrant labourers are trading barbs over a move to cap paddy transplantation wages in several villages.

Upset over labourers demanding as high as Rs 4,500 per acre considering the last year’s wages when there was shortage of workforce amid lockdown, cultivators have decided to cap it around Rs 3,300 per acre this time. However, the workforce unions have opposed the move.

The decision was announced after farmers of Akhara village in Jagraon subdivision held a joint meeting of social organisations on Friday. “The rate of paddy transplantation has been fixed at Rs 3,300 per acre. If someone pays more than this, he will be fined Rs 50,000,” read the resolution signed by villagers.

“Fixing wages is no less than the axe of big corporate houses against which farmers have been protesting at the Delhi borders,” rued Paramjit Singh Pamma, who led labourers during a road blockade against the resolution on the Raikot-Jagraon road yesterday.

Harjinder Singh Samra, an office-bearer of a social organisation of Chhanna village, said farmers had to pay almost double wages last year. “There is no shortage of labour this time,” he said. Lachman Singh Sewewal, general secretary, Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union, said if farmers wanted a hike in MSP, they should be willing to increase the labour rate. “Even if the rate is increased by Rs 1,000 per acre, 86 per cent small and marginal farmers (having up to 5 acres land), will spend maximum Rs 5,000 extra on the labour,” he reasoned.

However, farmers say the hike in labour charges is too steep and unviable. In Talanian village of Fatehgarh Sahib, a resolution was passed by the panchayat and boards have been erected, saying rates of Rs 2,500-2,600 per acre have been determined by the farmers’ unions in Delhi.

But unions were quick to deny this. Jagmohan Singh Patiala, general secretary of BKU Ekta Dakaunda, said: “The unions have not done any such thing. Rather, we are asking farmers to amicably resolve the issue.”

(With inputs from Ruchika M Khanna)