Fatehgarh Sahib paddy farmers stage sit-in, seek crop loss relief

Tribune News Service

Fatehgarh Sahib, September 14

A large number of farmers under the banner of the BKU (Ekta Sidhupur) held a dharna in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office here today. They were demanding compensation for the loss caused to the paddy crop due to the dwarfing disease and for cattle deaths due to the lumpy skin disease. They raised slogans against the government.

Addressing the protesters, Gurmeet Singh, district president of the union, said it was unfortunate that at the time when paddy crop was about to ripen, it had been affected by dwarfing virus in many villages of Khera, Bassi Pathana and Amloh blocks in the district.

Expecting a low yield, farmers had ploughed the fields, leading to a huge loss, Gurmeet said. He said earlier due to the low yield of wheat crop, the farmers had suffered heavy losses.

The union leader said the death of cattle due to the lumpy skin disease had worsened their financial woes.

Urging the government order a girdawari of the affected area and of dead animals due to the disease, he sought adequate compensation for the affected farmers so that they could start life afresh.

He warned if the government did not concede to their demands, then an agitation would be launched.

Farmer leaders Gurjit Singh, Mohindra Singh, Jasbir Singh, Gurdev Singh, Surendra Singh and others also addressed the protesters.

Later, the farmers submitted a memorandum to the DC in this regard. — OC

Protest in Mukstar enters Day 3

Muktsar: Farmers, under the banner of BKU (Ekta Sidhupur), continued their protest outside the office of the Agriculture Department here for the third day in a row on Wednesday. They are seeking the arrest of suspended agriculture development officer Sandeep Behal. He was suspended after the seal of a pesticide sample was found mismatched in May. Later, he was booked for impersonation.

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