UP farmers block highways over non-payment of arrears

Farmers in western Uttar Pradesh blocked National Highway-58 and NH-24 at many places here demanding immediate payment of their sugarcane dues.

Despite a warning by the district administration and elaborate police arrangements, the farmers succeeded in staging dharnas at Modinagar, Rajnagar Extension, Duhai and Bhojpur on NH-58. The farmers staged a dharna and stopped traffic at Hapur in the city.

People were inconvenienced by the dharnas which began at around 10 a.m. Police managed to disperse the protesters by 2.00 p.m. and opened the roads for traffic.

The farmers brought their tractors and cattle for dharna on the NH-24 too and disrupted traffic bound for Lucknow and Moradabad.

The Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) had given a call for blocking the traffic on all the major roads in western Uttar Pradesh to press their demand for immediate payment of the sugarcane dues by the sugar mills.

Farmer leader Rajvir Singh said that sugar mill owners are yet to clear farmers' dues amounting to Rs. 5500 crore.