Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 8: Hundreds of farmers drawn from different areas of rural and border belts of Jammu province held a massive protest dharna outside Press Club on Monday under the leadership of BJP MLAs- Sukhnandan Kumar and Shyam Choudhary against the anti-farmer policies of the State Government.
Protesting against the recovery of pending electricity tarrif of the last 15-20 years besides non-supply of water in canals for irrigational purposes, they accused the Government of adopting anti farmers policies.
MLA Sukhnandan Kumar, while addressing the dharna, said that the farmers across Jammu are being subjected to harassment by the Government on the plea of collecting electricity tarrif. He said that the farmers are asked to deposit bills for last 15-20 years by department, which has send a wave of fear and sleepless nights. He said that the move of the Government to demand tarrif of so many years after a long gap can not be justified by any means and we are will the farmers to oppose it tooth and nail.
Warning the State Government to stop harassing the farmers, Sukhnandan Kumar announced that the farmers in thousands will take out tractor rally and march towards Jammu city after Baisakhi in mid of this month. The Government has time till Baisakhi to change its policy towards farmers failing which the farmers will not sit quiet and show its strength on roads or Jammu.
MLA Shyam Choudhary said that the farmers of Jammu do not get electricity for water pumping motors when it is most urgently needed. On one hand, they do not get electricity on the other are harassed to deposit large amounts of electricity tarrif, which is very unfortunate. The Government also charges revenue for giving water through canals but the fields remain dry as water for irrigational purposes is not released when it is required. He asked the Government to wave off pending decades old bills and in future charge only for the period when electricity is consumed in fields and not for whole year as is done till now.
A large number of Sarpanchs, Panchs and BJP leader from rural belt participated in the dharna.
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