Farmers seek compensation for crop loss, oppose mandi restrictions

Hisar: Farmers on Thursday staged protests in Hisar and Fatehabad demanding compensation for crop losses caused by unseasonal rains, strong winds and hailstorms, while also opposing new restrictions on the sale of produce in mandis. In Hisar, farmers under the banner of the All India Kisan Sabha held a demonstration at the mini secretariat and submitted a memorandum addressed to the chief minister. They demanded immediate compensation for crops damaged in the adverse weather that struck the region on March 31.Farmer leader Surendra Mann said the storm and hailstorm severely damaged crops, including wheat, gram, mustard and barley, in several villages of Hisar tehsil. The memorandum, submitted under the leadership of Kisan Sabha president Ramesh Mirkan and secretary Abhayram Fauji, called for an immediate special survey of the affected areas. Farmers demanded a 100% assessment of crop damage and prompt release of compensation. They also sought a special relief package for debt-ridden farmers.Mirkan said agriculture in the region was "almost completely ruined" and warned that the agitation would be intensified if the administration failed to act swiftly. Officials present at the site accepted the memorandum and assured appropriate action. Meanwhile, members of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Sidhupur) and the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) submitted a memorandum to President Droupadi Murmu, urging the withdrawal of restrictions on crop sales in mandis.The farmers demanded procurement of rabi crops, especially wheat and mustard, at the Minimum Support Price (MSP). They termed the Haryana govt's new rules — mandating biometric verification for gate passes and uploading photographs of tractor-trolleys — as "draconian" and impractical, warning that these could lead to congestion in mandis and harassment of farmers. In Fatehabad, farmers protested at the mini secretariat against biometric verification norms linked to wheat procurement. Under the banner of the Kheti Bachao Kisan Union, farmers gathered at the district headquarters, where one of the gates was closed by the police.The protesters staged a sit-in before submitting a memorandum to deputy commissioner Dr Vivek Bharti. Farmers arrived in tractor-trolleys and other vehicles from across the district. Union state president Jarnail Singh Malwala said the new rules would create unnecessary hurdles for farmers. He pointed out that many farmers, due to years of manual labour, face difficulties in biometric verification, which could hamper the sale of their produce in mandis. MSID: 129976261 413 |