Farmers use stubble to make huts, bedding at Singhu

Mukesh Tandon
Tribune News Service
Sonepat, January 4

Farmers protesting at the Singhu border for more than a month are using paddy residue to keep themselves warm in this bone-chilling cold. This has attracted attention because the burning of stubble grabs headlines every year for causing pollution in the National Capital Region (NCR).

A group of youths from Barnala (Punjab) have made huts near Kundli village and covered it with paddy stubble. They have also put a layer of stubble on the ground and made bedding out of it.

The Capital has been receiving showers for the past three days and the temperature is dipping gradually. But this has not deterred the spirit of farmers, who have been protesting at the Singhu border for the past 39 days against the three controversial farm laws.

Simardeep Singh of Nawanshahr said, “My friends and I have made special bedding by spreading out a thick layer of stubble in trolleys. We have kept mattresses over it. This makes our bedding cosy and warm.”

Farmers’ organisations, meanwhile, are ensuring that there is no shortage of essential items at the protest site.

Amrik Singh, Jalandhar BKU (Kadian) president, said all essential items were available in abundance at the Singhu border. “Of the Rs 1.5 crore collected through donation, around Rs 1 crore has been spent on essential items required by protesting farmers,” he said.

Besides, the BKU (Kadian) has covered 80 to 90 langar stalls with water-proof tarpaulin sheets. It has installed 50 high-mast lights to light up the dharna site.

Santokh Singh Sandhu, state executive member, Kirti Kisan Union, said: “We have been trying to provide farmers with all facilities. We brought 400 tarpaulin sheets on Monday and a truck laden with quilts, blankets and mattresses.”