BKU (Ugrahan) continues to hold protest outside Bathinda DC’s office

Bathinda, April 5

Bharatiya Kisan Union’s (Ekta-Ugrahan) indefinite dharna continued for the second day today outside the Bathinda Deputy Commissioner’s office over compensation for damage caused by hailstorm and storms, livestock losses due to disease, gas pipeline maintenance and other demands.

Addressing the protest, BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) district general secretary Harjinder Singh Baggi and vice-president Basant Singh Kotha Guru said that due to hailstorm and heavy storm few days ago, the farmers’ crops, vegetables and livestock sheds were damaged, for which compensation was requested on March 5. A demand letter has also been given to the DC, but the district administration has not initiated any action yet.

BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) district general secretary of women wing Karamjit Kaur Lehra Khana and general secretary of Rampura block Baldev Singh Chauke said that apart from this, due to a disease, livestock of farmers of Raike Kalan, Akalia Kalan and other villages have suffered a lot. The minister and the teams of doctors also visited the village but the farmers were not compensated for the loss of livestock.

Apart from this, there is a big problem of canal water at tail ends which is not being solved. Farmer leaders said that this issue has been brought to the attention of the MLA and Agriculture Minister. He said that if the Punjab Government does not accept the demands of the farmers, then they should be ready to face their anger. The DC did not hold the scheduled meetings with the district leaders of the BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) regarding the compensation of gas pipeline.