Alleging delay in paddy procurement, farmers from Fatehabad and Jind districts blocked a road in Jind’s Alewa for several hours on Wednesday, bringing traffic to a halt and leaving commuters stranded. A group of farmers also staged a sit-in outside the market committee office in Ratia of Fatehabad.
In Alewa, the Jind–Assandh road at the main crossing was blocked, after farmers alleged that the procurement of the PR variety of paddy failed to begin in the grain market. Farmers parked an earthmover and a tractor-trailer in the middle of the road, blocking the traffic flow. Long queues of vehicles formed on both sides, leaving a bus and other commuters stranded. However, the situation was brought under control after Alewa police reached the spot.
Wednesday’s protest followed an ultimatum given on Tuesday, when farmers sat on dharna at the Alewa grain market and submitted a memorandum warning that they would block the road if procurement of PR paddy did not begin by 11am on Wednesday.
