RailEnquiry

ATIALA/SANGRUR/BARNALA/MOGA: Demanding Punjab should be declared drought-hit state and farmers be duly compensated, 17 farmers' organizations brought rail traffic to a grinding halt for more than three hours across Punjab on Wednesday.

Hundreds of activists disrupted rail traffic at 14 places in Punjab from 12 noon to 3pm. Passengers had a tough time reaching destinations as trains were stopped at different places.

Concerned over leaving out Punjab in providing drought relief, the activists of farmers organizations sat on railway tracks at Rajpura, Chhajli in Sangrur at Barnala, Mansa, Moga, Rampura, Kotkapura, Giddarbaha, Fazilka, Makhu, Patti, Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Phillaur.

The blockade continued for three hours and the farmers did not allow any trains to pass through Rajpura station. Since Rajpura is the main entry point from Delhi, Haryana and other states, hundreds of rail passengers had a tough time.

"Due to lack of rain all farmers had to spend at least Rs 10,000 per acre to run their diesel generators to irrigate paddy fields. Since we did not receive adequate power despite tall claims of the Punjab government all farmers were compelled to spend such a huge amount," said Bharti Kisan Union (Dakaunda) leader Ram Singh Matorda.

Farmers also alleged that they hoped to return their loan, taken for earlier crop, by selling paddy, but the drought like situation compelled them to take more loans. Ex-servicemen also participated in the protest.

Rohit Kumar, a passenger at Sangrur railway station, said he had to reach Ambala for an urgent job but had to wait because of the blockade. Another passenger Arjun, who was to reach Ludhiana from Lehragaga, said he had to appear for an interview but missed it.

BKU Ugrahan general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokri said, "UPA government has ignored Punjab farmers while announcing the package for drought-hit states and the SAD-BJP government has miserably failed to pursue the matter."

BKU Ekta president Buta Singh Burjgill and farmer leader Sujit Phool said, "by excluding Punjab from the list of drought-hit states the UPA has meted out sheer injustice to us."

The organizations have demanded compensation of Rs 25,000 per acre to farmers.