E-Paper
Angry cane farmers squat on rail tracks at Beas over pending dues
Protesters block the Amritsar-Delhi line for four hours; while five trains were cancelled, six had to be diverted
AMRITSAR/ Ludhiana : Hundreds of farmers under the banner of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) on Saturday blocked the Amritsar-Delhi rail tracks at the Beas railway station over non-payment of dues to sugarcane farmers by a private mill in Amritsar.
The farmers squatted on the tracks for at least four hours, resulting in the cancellation of five trains. Also, six trains had to be diverted, putting passengers to inconvenience.
The trains which were cancelled include the Amritsar-New Dehi Shatabdi Express (12030), Amritsar-Chandigarh Express (12412), Amritsar-Hisar Express (14654) and Amritsar-Haridwar Mail (14632).
Those which were diverted via the Pathankot railway station were the Amritsar-Chattisgarh Express, Amritsar-Hawra Mail, Amritar-Mumbai Central Golden Temple Mail and Amritsar-Visakhapatnam Hirakund Express.
The protest began at 4 pm, leaving passengers fuming, most of whom were informed by the Railways about cancellation of trains through texts.
At the Ludhiana railway station, travellers had no idea how to reach their respective destination. Some even vented ire, saying such protest should be held in such a way that the general public is not harassed.
Mohit Kumar, who was to go to Delhi, said that the government should find a permanent solution to the farmers’ issues so that passengers don’t have to go through a harrowing time each time a protest is held.
Another passenger Shiv Salwan, who had to reach Ludhiana by the Amritsar-Chandigarh Express train, had to hire a taxi from Amritsar.
Tarun Kumar, station director, however claimed that the best possible assistance was provided to the passengers by the railway staff at the Ludhiana station to avoid a situation of panic.
Since Friday, the farmers have been protesting outside Rana Sugar Mill, owned by family members of former minister Rana Gurjit Singh, at Butter Sevian village.
They alleged that the sugar mill has not made the payments for 58 days.
KMSC’s general secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher said, “We had held a meeting regarding the payment issue with officials of the district administration, but to no avail.”
The blockade was lifted around 8.30 pm.
Pandher said, “The district administration has assured us to release the payment on Monday. We will intensify our protest if it goes back on its word.
