JALANDHAR, AUGUST 20- Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori, Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, and SSP Naveen Singla on Friday evening met the farmers protesting at National Highway near Paragpur while holding discussions with union leaders.
The Deputy Commissioner said that the farmers were appealed to lift their dharna from the National Highway so that smooth and hassle-free traffic movement could be ensured in the larger public interest. He apprised that in the wake of their demands, the state government had already increased the State Approved Price (SAP) of sugarcane crop from 310 to 325; however, the farmers demanded more hike in SAP. The DC, CP and SSP apprised the farmers that their demands were being taken up with the high-ups in the government so as to ensure quick redressal of their concerns.
Visuals of the protest showed hundreds sitting on NH 1, waving farmer union flags and shouting slogans against the government. As many as 32 farmer unions have gathered for this protest.
Due to this, commuters from Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Pathankot and other adjoining areas, who were to shuttle across Jalandhar-Phagwara stretch of NH-1 in Dhanowali by road or rail, faced a huge bottleneck on Friday as the farmers blocked the passage indefinitely.
Also read: Farmers Protest: Commuters harried a lot as farmers hold Dharna on Jalandhar-Phagwara Highway
They also blocked the railway track near Dhanowali village, due to which the Shane Punjab Express (from Amritsar to Delhi) was stopped at the station in Jalandhar. At least seven other trains, including the SVDK Vande Bharat Express, have also been affected.