TAD News Desk, New Delhi: The decision to put the ball in Center’s court, was taken in a meeting of 31 farmer’s organization bodies in Chandigarh, during the ensuing farmer’s protests, by asking the Centre to resume freight trains and the farmer’s would comply by letting the passenger trains run.
The meeting was concluded with a press note released by the farmer’s organization noting – “It was decided that the Union government should first create an environment by operating freight vehicles, then the organisations would also take a positive decision on passenger vehicles immediately.”
Chandigarh meeting was done to form a consensus on the demands laid out by the Center during New Delhi meeting. The demand was that farmers must allow smooth functioning of both – goods and passenger trains. Railway ministry said in a statement that, states are no one to decide which train would run or not.
Dr Darshan Pal Singh of Krantikari Kisan Union, when asked about why farmers are adamant to continue this deadlock condition which is hurting the state’s economy, he told the reporters that the Center is solely responsible for this economic state of Punjab.
“We urged the Centre to resume freight trains in Punjab when we met the Union ministers in New Delhi but they did not listen to us. Now we are saying that as soon as they let freight trains ply, we will let passenger trains move too,” spoke Darshan Pal Singh.
He further added, “Even farmers are facing losses, we don’t want this blockade to continue either.”
Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Jagmohan Singh told the reporters that it is the farmers who are standing on the ground and thus, Center has to make the first move in this condition.
“Never in the history of protests or even during war has the Railways banned the movement of goods trains. Then why is the Centre punishing Punjab like this?” Singh spoke.
Singh further said that the unions’ stand is that they will allow passengers trains to pass “immediately, as soon as the Centre flags the first goods train.”
Losses continue for Punjab’s populous as well as Railways
Railway ministry reported a loss of Rs 1,670crores in the farmer’s agitation as it led to the cancellation of 1,986 passenger trains and 3,090 goods trains in the region.
Railway lost 550crores as around 520 rakes of coal could not reach to the power-plants of Punjab. More than 600 containers of goods have also been hampered and 70 more rakes of goods as well leading to losses of 120crore and 15crore respectively to the railways.
PTI reported the statement of Punjab’s minister of Industries and Commerce, Sunder Sham Arora, which said that amid ongoing farm protests, Industries of Punjab has suffered huge losses of Rs. 22,000Crores. He further added that 13,500 containers loaded with goods have been stuck Dhandari Kalyan Dry port in Ludhiana.
Minister worried about the case if the situation ensues further and, the industries would not be able to pay salaries to their workers. Steel and Iron industry has increased transportation cost to bring in raw materials from other states to cope up losses.
“I do not know what the Centre has in its mind,” the minister said. “But they are discriminating against Punjab.”
Source –The Wire
