January 6, 2012
Indian farmers continue protest on fertiliser scarcity
Farmers in India remain in protest with road obstruction at many places despite of the assurance given by district authorities for improving fertiliser supply.
The reports of fertiliser shortage continue to pour in from Pai, Rajound, Kalayat and Dhand areas. The farmers, who are demanding adequate supply of fertiliser, have been protesting at different places for the past fortnight. Yesterday, the farmers had blocked traffic on Kaithal-Patiala road in Cheeka mandi, 25 km from here, to press for their demand. The blockade was lifted after Cheeka SHO Jagbir Singh assured the farmers to apprise the higher authorities about their problem. The farmers argued that even after spending hours on queues to get urea, they had to sometimes go empty handed. They alleged that fertiliser dealers were indulging in black marketing of the commodity.
On Monday (Jan 2), a large number of farmers from different parts of the district had assembled outside the IFFCO seva Kendra here to get urea bags. The fertiliser supply was suspended after the farmers jostled with each other to get the urea bags, breaking glass panes of the Kendra. Thereafter, the farmers resorted to protest on Jakholi adda new grain market road and raised slogans.