Amid the ongoing protest, the farmers' organisation on Thursday decided to withdraw from the Delhi-Noida route. The farmers staged a protest, demanding developed plots from the government in Delhi and Greater Noida.
Earlier today, they scaled up their protest and marched towards the Parliament. They marched towards the Parliament from the Delhi-Noida Chilla border over their various demands, including a hike in compensation.
Officials speak to farmers
Noida DCP Vidhya Sagar Mishra said that the officials have spoken to the leaders of farmer organisations. "A proposal to create a high-power committee was given. The farmer leaders have agreed to it. Today's program (of the march) has ended... We are trying to make the traffic movement normal... Extra police force has been deployed for it," he added.
Protest led to massive traffic jams
Massive traffic jams were witnessed on the Delhi-Noida border on Thursday as police personnel were deployed to check vehicles after a protest called by farmers in Noida and Greater Noida. Motorists spent hours in the crawling traffic as the police personnel with heavy equipment were on alert to restrict movement on the road at the Delhi-Noida borders near Mayur Vihar, as the farmers tried to enter the national capital.
Demands of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and Sanyukt Kisan Morcha:
- MSP Guarantee Act should be made on the purchase of all crops, on the instructions of Dr Swaminathan Commission. The prices of all crops should be fixed as per the C2+50 per cent formula.
- The FRP and SAP of the carton should be given as per the Swaminathan Commission formula, making it a national authority for the procurement of all spices including turmeric.
- Complete loan waiver for farmers and labourers and assurance on unfulfilled demands of the last Delhi protest.
- India should come out of WTO, increase allowance to reduce import duty on agricultural commodities, milk products, fruits, vegetables and meat etc.
- A pension scheme of Rs 10,000 per month should be implemented for farmers and agricultural labourers above 58 years of age.
- Improve the 'Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana' by having the government pay the insurance premium itself, making all crops part of the scheme and assessing the loss by considering the farm acre as a unit while assessing the loss.
- The Land Acquisition Act, 2013 should be implemented in the same manner and the instructions given by the Central Government to the States regarding land acquisition should be cancelled.
- Under MNREGA, employment should be provided for 200 days per year, wages should be increased to Rs 700 per day and agriculture should be included in it.
- To improve the quality of seeds of all crops including cotton by amending the Pesticides, Seeds and Fertilizers Act. To cancel licenses by imposing exemplary punishment and penalties on companies manufacturing and selling spurious and substandard products.
- Implementation of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution.
Traffic advisory for Noida
Ahead of the protests in Noida and Greater Noida, the Gautam Buddh Nagar Police had imposed Section 144 on Wednesday and Thursday. Police had also issued a traffic advisory, cautioning commuters against diversions on some routes in the twin cities in view of the farmers' movement on tractors. It should be noted here that farmer groups in Noida and Greater Noida have been protesting since December 2023, with demands for greater compensation and developed plots against their lands acquired by the local development authorities in the past.
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