Jalandhar: Farmers in Punjab blocked a major national highway on Tuesday, demanding a hike in sugarcane prices. The blockade of the Jalandhar-Phagwara section of the Jalandhar-New Delhi national highway caused traffic disruptions and inconvenienced commuters, reported Hindustan Times.
Expressing disapproval, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann criticized the farmers’ unions for impeding national highways and inconveniencing the public.
The farmers, operating under the Samyukt Kisan Morcha banner, are advocating for an elevation in the assured price of sugarcane from ₹380 to ₹450 per quintal. Their demands also encompass the implementation of a single-window and counter-payment system at sugar mills, compensation for sugarcane crop losses incurred due to floods and other factors, and the immediate commencement of sugar mills’ crushing operations.
In response, Mann urged the farmer unions to cease causing undue hardship to the general population by obstructing roads within the state. He emphasized the potential for public sentiment to turn against the unions if they persist in inconveniencing people. Mann extended an invitation for dialogue, stating, “The doors of my office and residence, along with Punjab Bhawan, Punjab Civil Secretariat, and the office of the agriculture minister, are always open for dialogue.”
