State farmers to take up issues in Delhi

Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 8

The Bharti Kisan Union (BKU) – Kadian has decided to lead farmers from the state to New Delhi and stage a dharna at Jantar Mantar on September 25 with the objective of apprising the Modi government of the distressed condition of the farming community by submitting a memorandum to the Union Agriculture Minister.

BKU president Harmeet Singh Kadian said this while addressing a state committee meeting here today.

Focusing on the demands, Kadian urged the government to take a decision on the SYL Canal issue, as directed by the Supreme Court.

“An early decision ought to be taken to safeguard the interests of Punjabi farmers, keeping in view the fact that the state did not have even a single drop of surplus water,” he said.

The BKU president said if the government intended to implement the decision of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on straw burning and penalise farmers for this, the recommendation of the NGT about providing financial assistance to farmers for alternative methods of straw handling should also be given effect. Accordingly, the farmers be paid Rs 3,000 per acre for this purpose, he added.

Other speakers at the meeting — Kuldeep Singh Chakbhaike and Gurmeet Singh Golewal — demanded that the MSP of wheat for the next Rabi crop be fixed at Rs 2,755 per quintal, in accordance with the recommendation of Dr Swaminathan Committee on the basis of C2+50 per cent.

They also called upon the government to enforce the orders of the Supreme Court on sugar mills for payment of sugarcane purchase to farmers within 14 days.