E-Paper
Angry over non-purchase of paddy UP farmers block Karnal-Meerut highway
Accusing the authorities of not procuring paddy of farmers from other states, hundreds of farmers from Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday blocked the Karnal-Meerut highway on the Haryana-UP border
Accusing the authorities of not procuring paddy of farmers from other states, hundreds of farmers from Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday blocked the Karnal-Meerut highway on the Haryana-UP border.
The sloganeering protesters blocked the road with their tractor-trailers laden with paddy causing inconvenience to commuters by blocking the highway connecting two states.
Agitators alleged that the farmers are not being allowed to sell their produce in the mandis of Haryana even after they registered on the ‘Meri Fasal, Mera Byora’ portal as per the government’s guidelines.
Some farmers said they belong to Haryana, but own land in UP. But the Haryana government is not procuring their produce even as they had registered on the ‘Meri Fasal, Mera Byora’ portal.
Farmers lashed out at the government and slammed leaders of the ruling party for their claims that farmers can sell their produce on the minimum support price (MSP).
Farmers said they had been selling their produce in the Karnal grain market for years but are facing problems for the past few years.
Members of farm unions and arhtiya associations have demanded that the government should allow farmers from the neighbouring states to sell their produce in the mandis as there are no grain markets in UP and many famers from Haryana have also purchased land in UP.
The blockade of the highway on the bridge of river Yamuna caused long traffic jams on both sides and hundreds of people were stranded for hours. The blockade continued till evening as the farmers continued their protest in lack of response from the Karnal administration over their demands.
