Ludhiana: Members of a farmers’ union on Monday staged a protest at the Ladhowal toll plaza and made it toll-free for nearly three hours, demanding compensation for losses incurred during last year’s floods in the state. The protest was led by senior leader of Azad Kisan Morcha Taranjit Singh Nimana.After receiving the information, the police and administration officials reached the spot and tried to persuade the protestors not to make it toll-free, but the protestors didn’t budge.Farmer leader Taranjit Singh said though they did face resistance from the police and civil administration, they still forced the toll plaza to remain free, and no fee was collected from vehicles between 11am and 2pm. He added that they had decided to start indefinite protest in support of their demands after giving govt a deadline of April 30, but after the Punjab governor gave them time for a meeting, they, after discussion with various farmers groups, made it toll-free for three hours.Listing the demands, the farmer leader said that the farmers suffered heavy crop losses during last year’s floods but did not receive adequate compensation from the govt. He added that even in March this year, the farmers had faced heavy damage to wheat and vegetables crops due to unseasonal rainfall and govt had announced compensation for the same, but didn’t give it.The protestors said that they had raised the issue many times before the Centre and the state govts, but their concerns were ignored.They demanded the Centre and state govt resolved the issues at the earliest. They added that if their demands were not fulfilled, they would intensify agitation.
