Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, July 31
Bharti Kisan Union (Rajewal) president Balbir Singh Rajewal today announced that a farmers’ rally would be held on August 5 at Chandigarh to protest against the state government in view of the recent floods which have ravaged farm lands in Punjab.
The declaration was made after a meeting held by farmer unions at the gurdwara at Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar. Rajewal also said that a notice will be sent to the state and Central governments by the Kisan Union’s lawyer during the rally.
Addressing the media on the occasion, Rajewal expressed apprehensions that both the acreage and losses declared by the state government after the floods have been grossly understated.
“The state government isn’t practically assessing the ground situation after the floods. It is far removed from the ground reality. The government is misleading people by clicking photos. As per the government, there is damage to crop in 6 lakh acres but according to our estimates, it is 10 lakh acres. As per our estimates, a demand for compensation of Rs 50,000 per acre even for 6 lakh acres will amount to at least Rs 3,000 crore. Four hundred houses have collapsed, walls of 200 houses fell and 41 people have died. How the government works out its estimates, we don’t understand,” said Rajewal.
