No major impact in north Haryana, vegetable supply hit in Sirsa dist
Farmers have now started targeting milkmen as they fear the stir might fail, vegetable growers seem reluctant to join 10day protest called by Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh
KARNAL/KURUKSHETRA/SIRSA: The nationwide ten-day ‘Gaon Bandh’ called by the Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh (RKM) entered the fourth day on Monday, but there is no visible impact of the protest in northern cities of Haryana where the supply of milk and vegetables remains unaffected.
Even the prices of most of the vegetables and milk have not been affected much since the strike begun on June 1.
However, the protesting farmers have now started targeting the milkmen and vegetable suppliers as they are worried about the failure of protest.
Despite threats, the milkmen continue supply to their customers in Karnal, Yamunangar, Panipat and Kurukshetra cities.
MILKMEN UNDER THREAT
The milkmen of Shahbad town in Kurukshetra district are facing threats from the farmers, who are sitting on a dharna in Shahbad grain market and stopping the milkmen from supplying milk.
“They attacked me and forcibly spilled my 100 liters of milk on the road and asked me to stop the supply,” said Gurpreet Singh, a milkman of Shahbad. He alleged that they are also spreading misinformation that the milkmen are supplying synthetic milk.
Due to threats, the supply of milk to Shahbad town got affected. Kamlesh Kumar, owner of Gopal Dairy of Shahbad, said, “Following threats from farmers, the supply of milk got affected but, we have enough milk for our customers”
VEGETABLE GROWERS RELUCTANT TO JOIN PROTEST
Meanwhile, vegetable growers seem reluctant to join the protest and they are continuing the supply to the mandis.
They said this is the peak harvest season for most of the vegetables and they cannot delay this. Also, vegetables are mostly grown by landless labourers, who have taken the fields on rent and they have to sell their produce daily to feed their families.
“This year, the prices of tomato are lowest in the markets. Now, the farmers are saying that they will not allow us to take the produce to the mandis, but we cannot do that and we are supplying tomato to Delhi every day,” said Jagdish Singh, a farmer of Bhalri village of Kurukshetra.
The vegetable vendors said the prices of vegetables are fixed daily and there is no impact of the farmers’ protest as the supply to the market remains same.
In Yamunanagar, Karnal and Panipat districts also, there is no visible impact of the strike as the supply of vegetables remains unaffected.
“The prices and supply of milk are normal and there is no impact of the protest yet,” said Anil Kumar, owner of a milk booth in Karnal’s model town.
VEGETABLE BUSINESS TAKES A HIT IN SIRSA
However, vegetable markets in farmer-dominated Sirsa district are suffering losses due to the ‘Gaon Bandh’ protest.
Vegetable dealers are facing loss as they are not receiving vegetables from the farmers. City magistrate Vaid Prakash said the administration will take action against farmers who would try to breach the law.
Rakesh Kumar, a dealer in vegetable market, said, “The daily business in various vegetable mandis of Sirsa was around Rs 25 lakh, but now it declined drastically to Rs 6 lakh on Monday.”
FARMERS USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO GAIN SUPPORT
Meanwhile, having failed to garner the expected support from the farming community, leaders of various farmer unions are now using the social media to appeal to fellow growers to join strike.
The farmers are uploading and circulating videos and photos of their protests on Facebook and WhatsApp.
Haryana Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) president Gurnam Singh Chaduni and some other farmers leaders are also making live appeals to fellow farmers to join the protest.
They are also asking farmers not to indulge in violence but milkmen facing threats.
The prices and supply of milk in the region are normal and there is no impact of the farmers’ protest yet. ANIL KUMAR, milk vendor