Denied entry, farmers block Haryana-UP border

Tribune News Service

Karnal, April 17

Scores of farmers from Karnal district and Uttar Pradesh today blocked the Haryana-UP (Karnal-Meerut road) after they were allegedly denied entry in Haryana to sell wheat. These farmers had cultivated wheat in Uttar Pradesh.

Word of assurance

I spoke to the Shamli District Magistrate and proposed to him to develop a holding area in Uttar Pradesh where farmers could wait until they were allowed entry in Haryana. — Nishant Kumar Yadav, Karnal DC

They were allegedly stopped from selling their produce in Karnal district even after having registered themselves on the Meri Fasal, Mera Byora portal. The situation remained tense for around four hours and commuters had a tough time.

Bir Singh, a local farmer who owns land in UP, said: “I had cultivated wheat on 15 acres. The police stopped me from entering Haryana. This is injustice.”

Rajpal, another farmer, said his crop was registered on the portal, but he was not allowed to sell his produce.

The state government has stopped procurement on Saturday and Sunday to streamline the process by lifting the procured wheat. After around four hours, the authorities from Uttar Pradesh reached the protest site and pacified the farmers by proposing a holding area in UP where farmers could wait until they were allowed entry in Haryana.

Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav said he spoke to the Shamli District Magistrate and proposed to him to develop a holding area in UP.

“The state government has stopped procurement for two days. As a result, gate pass are not being issued. The lifting process has gathered pace and the situation will be streamlined by Monday,” the DC added.