Punjab government left us with no choice Protesting farmers

Aparna BanerjiTribune News ServiceJalandhar August 20Mounting sugarcane dues and low state advisory prices SAP have irked thousands of farmers of the Doaba region As many as 20000 farmers staged a protest on the first day of the agitation on the Dhanowali Road on the Jalandhar-Phagwara highway on Friday Many farmers sat on dharna on rail tracks alsoThey said demand letters were being given to the state government on the issue for the past many years But the continued lack of response from the state government has forced them to take the stepFarmers sought enhancement of the SAP of sugarcane to at least Rs400quintalKuldip Singh president Doaba Kisan Union said The state government left us with no choice For six years the government hasnt increased the rates of SAP for sugarcane The prices of fertilisers labour diesel rates are increasing We have been giving demand letters to the government every year When the government came in 2017 then there was just a 10 rupee increase in the rate while they had promised 20 Earlier the Akalis didnt increase the rate then the Congress came and promised they will increase the rate by Rs 10 every year If they increased even that much every year we wouldnt have complained But we need the sugarcane SAP to be at least Rs 400 per quintalHe added The government already owes us Rs 2000 crore for past five years They are not clearing our payments It owes pending dues of Rs 56 crore to sugar mills We are committed to receive sugarcane SAP rates at least on par with Haryana The administration met us today But as long as the CM doesnt come to the table a decision cant possibly be arrived at The decision has to be taken by the state governmentWhile 32 farmers unions under the Sanyukta Kisan Morcha back the Jalandhar stir the five Doaba unions which are primarily involved in the morcha including Doaba Kisan Union Bhartiya Kisan Union Doaba Kisan Sangharsh Committee and Majha Kisan Sangharsh CommitteeTony Sandhu a farmer from Rurka Kalan said Farmers have been forced to hold a protest in Punjab due to the lackadaisical approach of the government On the one hand the state government shows solidarity with farmers while on the other farmers are not getting sugarcane rates Farmers spend at least Rs 1 lakh per acre on sugarcane cultivation A rate of at least Rs400 per quintal is imperative