Farmers threaten protest in Rajasthan

Farmers today threatened to block roads in three districts of Rajasthan on October 10 if irrigation for their rabi crop was not released from the Indira Gandhi Canal Project.

"The state government has announced to supply water from October 18, but the sowing season for rabi crops, including mustard and wheat, is from October 1 to 15," CPI-M MP and Kisan-Majdoor-Vyapar Sangathan Convenor Hannan Mollah said.

"Farmers would also start their demonstration in Bikaner, Hanumangarh and Sriganganagar, and would also block the roads," Mollah, who held a CPI-state committee's extended meeting, said. The road jam would extend from Lunkaransar to Nohar, he said.

"The farmers are ready to take to streets because they will lose their seasonal crop due to lack of irrigation."

Similarly there was no sufficient power supply at the agricultural connections in these districts, he said, adding it would be another issue which the farmers would raise during their protest on October 10.

"The BJP government also failed to rehabilitate flood-affected villagers in 12 districts despite having adequate funds," he alleged.