Govt ignoring flood-hit farmers, claims BKMU, announces protest march

Hisar: Upset over the alleged delay in resolving the problems of flood-hit farmers, the Bharatiya Kisan Mazdoor Union (BKMU), Haryana, has announced protest marches and gherao of deputy commissioner offices in Hisar and Hansi later this month.Farmer leaders accused the Haryana govt of neglecting villages devastated by last year's floods despite the approval of the Rs 2,000-crore relief package.The decision was made during a BKMU meeting at Jat Dharamshala in Hisar. Satyawan Kanoh presided over the meeting.Addressing the gathering, BKMU state president Suresh Koth said farmers were already burdened with debt and were now being forced to struggle for basic relief and compensation.BKMU national spokesperson Jogender Maiyad said nearly 40 to 50 villages were severely affected by last year's floods, leaving fields submerged and delaying sowing operations for the next crop season.He said farmers earlier staged protests and even held a meeting with irrigation minister Shruti Choudhry in Chandigarh for the early redressal of the issue."Although the govt has approved Rs 2,000 crore for flood-affected villages, work on the ground has not started. Farmers are angry over the govt's delaying tactics," he said.The BKMU announced that a 10-km protest march would be taken out in Hisar on May 22, followed by a gherao of the DC office. A similar march and protest will be organised in Hansi on May 23.Farmer leaders also raised several other issues during the meeting, including implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report, debt waiver for farmers and labourers, opposition to the biometric system in wheat procurement and concerns over the Centre's trade agreement with the United States.The union also opposed the privatisation of electricity infrastructure and demanded that farmers be paid market rates for land acquired for roads and other projects. Strong objections were also raised against alleged illegal dumping activities in areas near Dhandur and Hansi.MSID:: 130979073 413 |