Punjab farmers agree to lift road blockades after govt’s assurance

Farmers, who were protesting over ‘tardy’ paddy procurement for the third day on Sunday, have agreed to lift blockades from all five points after farm leaders belonging to the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and the Sanyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) (Non-Political) held a three-hour meeting with Food and Civil Supplies Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak and Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian.

However, the farmers will continue to hold protests on slip roads till the complete acceptance of their demands, the farm leaders said.

The leaders met here today after their meeting with civil and police officers remained inconclusive on Saturday evening.

The farmers were represented by Sarwan Singh Pandher, coordinator, KMM; Manjit Singh Rai, president, BKU (Doaba); Satnam Singh Sahni, General Secretary, BKU (Doaba); Satnam Singh Beru, Indian Farmer Association; and Surjit Singh Phul, president, BKU (Krantikari Punjab), while ADGP (Law and Order) SPS Parmar, DIG Satinder Singh, DC Amit Kumar Panchal, SSP Vatsala Gupta and SDM Jashanjit Singh assisted the ministers at the meeting.

According to the agreement, farm leaders said the Punjab government will take responsibility of the reimbursement of cuts implied on farmers all over the state.

Secondly, speedy lifting of paddy will be ensured at all grain markets in Punjab, they added.

Farmers will not face shortage of DAP and efforts will also be made to take back cases registered under stubble-burning, the farm leaders said.