Farmers continue to block railway tracks; movement of 156 trains affected

Demanding a complete waiver of farm loans and compensation to the kin of those who died during the anti-farm laws stir, farmers blocked railway tracks at various places in Punjab for the second day on Tuesday, affecting the movement of 156 trains.

According to Ferozepur division railway officials, 84 trains were cancelled, 47 short-terminated and 25 short-originated.

Farmers under the banner of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee launched the agitation on Monday, demanding a complete loan waiver, compensation to the families of those who died during the year-long anti-farm laws stir and withdrawal of the criminal cases slapped against them.

They are also demanding a compensation of Rs 50,000 per acre for damaged crops, the release of the pending dues for the sugarcane crop and the abolition of the contract system.

Satnam Singh Pannu, a farmer leader, said they will not lift the "dharna" till the demands are met. "During a meeting on September 28, we were given an assurance by Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, but the state government later backed out. Besides the four places where farmers are sitting on a dharna, we will start the protest at three more sites in Punjab from Wednesday," he said.

The farmers are presently squatting on railway tracks at different places in Ferozepur, Tarn Taran, Amritsar and Hoshiarpur.

Meanwhile, a group of farmers staged a sit-in outside the office of the deputy commissioner (DC) in Ludhiana. DC Varinder Kumar Sharma and his staff were not allowed to move out for lunch by the protesting farmers. The DC finally came out of his office at about 5:30 pm under a security cover.

Paramjit Singh Ghloti, a senior leader of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), said, "We are agitating against the non-implementation of the promises made by the Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi. The government is befooling farmers." The protest will continue on Wednesday, he added.

Ghloti said their main demands include compensation to the families of the farmers who committed suicide for the non-payment of their debt and Rs 360 per quintal for sugarcane.