'Good news' on sugarcane prices soon, says Bhagwant Mann; farmers decide to end Jalandhar highway blockade

Farmers demonstrating on a national highway in Jalandhar demanding an increase in sugarcane prices on Friday decided to end their stir after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann assured them of good news in the coming days reported news agency PTIThe decision of the farmers came on the fourth day of their demonstration after a meeting here between union leaders and the chief minister which last for more than 90 minutes ended on a positive note reported PTIThe farmers had blocked the Jalandhar national highway They had also stepped up their protest by blocking a railway track on Thursday but this blockade was lifted as soon as the Punjab government announced the meeting reported PTIThe good thing is that they farmer union leaders have stated that the blockade from the rail track has been lifted and while the service road of the Jalandhar highway is operational the main highway will also be cleared now Mann a senior AAP leader said reported PTIFarmers had been staging a dharna in the middle of the JalandharPhagwara section of the highway and this affected traffic between Jalandhar and Delhi reported PTITalking to reporters both Mann and the union leaders said the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere reported PTIThough Mann did not reveal what would be the new state advised price for sugarcane he said that as far as increasing the rate of sugarcane goes Punjab has always been ahead reported PTIIn the coming days sugarcane farmers will get good news regarding rate and compensation for losses they incurred due to floods earlier this year he said reported PTIMann also said a meeting with other stakeholders including sugar mill owners will be held on Saturday reported PTISolution has been found within one or two days new announcements will be made the chief minister said reported PTIFarmers led by the Bharti Kisan Union Doaba had been demanding an increase in prices of sugarcane from Rs 380 per quintal to Rs 450 per quintal They were also demanding the resumption of sugar mills operations for the crushing cane reported PTIBKU Doaba leader Manjit Rai who was among the farm union leaders to take part in the meeting here told reporters that the chief minister has assured the best rate of sugarcane in the country Mann also said by November 30 all mills will be operational Rai stated and added that the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere reported PTIFollowing the chief ministers assurances he said the farmers will be ending their dharna now reported PTITo a question Rai said the chief minister has indicated that the increased rate of sugarcane will be close to Rs 400 per quintal We have said it should be more than Rs 400 he said reported PTINeighbouring Haryana had earlier this month announced a Rs 14 hike in sugarcane price to Rs 386 a quintal from Rs 372 per quintal reported PTIRai indicated that the increased sugarcane rates will be more than that of Haryana reported PTIAsked about the issue of stubbleburning and Punjab being blamed for it Chief Minister Mann said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should call a meeting of chief ministers from north and central states and offer a solution reported PTIMann said Do we send smoke in pipes to Delhi there is smoke from Haryana too reported PTIThis problem is not limited to one state We had gone to Madhya Pradesh even there we came across stubble burning This problem is there in north and central India too So Modi sahab should come forward for this and call a meeting of the chief ministers of these states and offer a solution he said reported PTIOn farmers protests Mann during the meeting reiterated that the farm unions should not turn people against themselves reported PTIBlocking roads or sitting on rail tracks this trend is not good In the meeting we said such things should be avoided in the future There are several mediums and venues to talks The trend to put common people to inconvenience is not good said Mann reported PTIReplying to a question Mann clarified that he has never said that farmers dont have the right to protest but that should not be by done by causing inconvenience to people There are other ways he said reported PTIFarmer leader Rai said that we told the chief minister that no farmer wants to come on roads to hold protest He said the government should have called them for talks much earlier reported PTIFarmers under the banner of Samyukt Kisan Morcha had blocked the JalandharPhagwara section of the JalandharNew Delhi National Highway near Dhanowali village for an indefinite period on Tuesday reported PTIThe protest in Jalandhar had affected the movement of vehicles from Jammu Pathankot and Amritsar via Jalandhar towards Ludhiana Chandigarh Nawanshahr and Delhi reported PTIWith police diverting traffic towards alternative roads the commuters had a harrowing time crossing the part of the district reported PTIWith inputs from PTI