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Punjab cane farmers continue rail, road blockade as talks with govt remain inconclusive
The deadlock between the Punjab government and sugarcane growers protesting for hike in crop prices continued on Sunday after the farmer representatives’ meeting with cabinet minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and officials in Chandigarh remained inconclusive
The deadlock between the Punjab government and sugarcane growers protesting for hike in crop prices continued on Sunday after the farmer representatives’ meeting with cabinet minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and officials in Chandigarh remained inconclusive.
The protesters continued blockade of the national highway and railway tracks at Dhanowali village in Jalandhar district, affecting road transport and train movement.
Bhartiya Kisan Union (Rajewal) leader Balbir Singh Rajewal, BKU (Doaba) president Manjit Singh Rai and others met Randhawa. It was decided after the meeting that the farmers will hold another meeting with government experts on Monday over the production cost of sugarcane and chief minister Amarinder Singh will take a final call on the issue the next day.
The farmer leaders expressed disappointment over the state government increasing the sugarcane’s state agreed price (SAP) from ₹310 to ₹325 without taking them into confidence. “The farmers were requested to clear the rail tracks so that fertilisers could reach in the state,” said a farmer representative.
In the meeting, the government experts claimed that production cost should be ₹350 per quintal, the farmer unions pegged it at ₹392. Randhawa also made a senior farmer leader to talk to Amarinder Singh over phone, it is learnt.
Talking to mediapersons, Randhawa said, “We will clear the pending dues of sugarcane crop within 15 days. The farmer leaders will hold a meeting over the price comparison with experts from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) and government officials.”
He said there was ₹43 crore pending of the Phagwara sugar mill. “I have directed the Kapurthala administration to get it cleared or take action against the mill. We have assured them that the government will not let the Phagwara mill shut at any cost,” added Randhawa.
Rai said it was shocking that the e experts didn’t inform the government over the production cost. “In meeting, the experts admitted that the production cost is ₹350 per quintal while Punjab government gives us ₹325 per quintal rate,” he said.
83 trains affected
The Ferozepur railway division said a total of 83 trains were affected due to the blockade on the Ludhiana-Amritsar rail track. Of these, 48 were cancelled, 12 diverted and 23 short-terminated, officials said.
