Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chandigarh, October 8: Rail traffic remained affected at various places in Punjab as the farmers ‘Rail Roko’ agitation entered the second day today. The police intervened at two places to clear the tracks.
Police dispersed a small gathering of farmers which had blocked rail traffic at Jaito and Chand Bhan .
“Some 4,000 agitating farmers were rounded up by police from across the state and later released,” a BKU (Ekta) leader Jagmohan Singh said.
He said that police “forcibly” lifted protesting farmers at two rail tracks as their number was small.
He, however, said that more farmers today joined the agitation at six different places in the state and on one state highway.
Farmers are squatting on rail tracks at Mansa, Shergarh (Bathinda), Rampura Phul (Bathinda), Pathrala (Muktsar), Dagru (Ludhiana) and Muchhal (Amritsar). Lehra-Sunam highway was also blocked.
Railways said that the traffic remained affected on Bathinda-Sirsa, Ganganagar-Ferozepur, Bathinda-Bikaner, Ludhiana-Ferozepur, Bathinda-Patiala and Delhi-Mansa railway track in view of the agitation.
As many as eight farmers’ organisations including BKU Ekta (Dakunda), BKU Ekta (Ugrahan), BKU (Krantikari), Kirti Kisan Union are participating in the agitation.
Agitating farmers have been demanding Rs. 40,000 per acre compensation for farmers whose cotton crop got damaged by whitefly attack, Rs. 20,000 per family compensation for farm labour, Rs. 4,500 per quintal rate for basmati PUSA 1509 variety, and Rs. 5,000 per quintal for basmati PUSA 1121 variety.
Besides, they are seeking payments of sugarcane dues by private mills, debt relief and Rs. 5 lakh financial assistance to the family of farmers who committed suicide.
