Punjab: 4 trains cancelled, 12 diverted as farmers protest against government policies

Chandigarh: Agitating against the government's policies, the farmers in Punjab have blocked railway tracks in the state causing 12 trains to be diverted and 4 others to be cancelled.

The farmers are protesting against the failure of cotton crops due to pest attacks. They have accused the government of providing them with low quality pesticides and are demanding appropriate compensation for their damaged crops.

The farmer groups will be blocking rail traffic at several places for two days. As part of their plan to intensify their agitation, eight farmers' organisations, including BKU Ekta (Dakunda), BKU Ekta (Ugrahan), BKU (Krantikari), Kirti Kisan Union will disrupt train movements for two days in the state.

"We are going ahead with our plan to block rail traffic on October 7 and 8 at different places in Punjab to press the Centre and state government to accept our demands,"

Farmers would disrupt rail services at about 12 places including Rampura in Bathinda, Mansa, Sunam in Sangrur, Moga, Beas, Phillaur in Jalandhar, Fazilka, Ferozepur, Patiala, BKU (Ugrahan) General Secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokri said.

Among various other demands, farmers in Punjab have been demanding Rs 40,000 per acre compensation for those whose crop got damaged by white-fly attack, Rs 20,000 per family compensation for farm labour, Rs 4,500 per quintal rate for basmati PUSA 1509 variety, and Rs 5,000 per quintal for basmati PUSA 1121 variety.

They are also demanding higher compensation for cotton growers and remunerative rates for basmati crop. Besides, they are seeking payments of sugarcane dues by private mills, debt relief and Rs 5 lakh financial assistance to the family of farmers who committed suicide.

Acknowledging that their agitation would cause inconvenience to rail travellers, farmers' outfits have sought their (passengers) support. Railways had already asked Punjab government to prevent protesting farmers from disrupting rail services, saying passengers had to face harrowing time because of such protests.

Additional Director General of Police (Law & Order) Rohit Chaudhary, when contacted, said that force would be deployed at different places to prevent protesters from disrupting rail services in the state.

Among the trains which were cancelled are Amritsar-Indore Express, Ferozpur-Mumbai Central Express, Indore-Chandigarh and Mumbai Central-Ferozpur Express. Among the diverted trains are Amritsar-Bilaspur, Nanded-Amritsar and Bilaspur-Amritsar Express, it said.

Railways have also announced cancellation of 7 trains, including Chandigarh-Indore Express, Ferozpur-Mumbai Central Express, Kochuveli-Amritsar Express and Yasvantpur-Chandigarh Express on October 9 and 10, it said.

As many as 12 trains will be diverted on October 9, including Amritsar-Bilaspur Express, Amritsar-Nanded Express, Kalka-Shirdi Express, Chandigarh-Madurai Express, Jammu Tawi-Madras Express and Bilaspur-Amritsar Express.