Samjhauta Express stop on Wagha border

Janjivan Bureau
Attari : The Samjhauta Express, which commutes between Delhi and Attari in India and Lahore in Pakistan, had to be cancelled because of the ongoing farmers’ agitation in the state of Punjab. The train which operates twice a week- on Tuesdays and Fridays- was cancelled on Thursday. The train is the latest amongst a number of trains that were cancelled due to agitating farmers, who blocked railway tracks, to protest against the government’s agricultural policies. The protests come in the wake of the failure of cotton crops in the state due to pest attacks. Also Read: Farmers protests in Punjab; threaten nation-wide stir
Farmers are blaming the government of providing them with poor quality pesticides and are demanding adequate compensation for the damage. Among various demands, the agitating farmers are demanding Rs 40,000 per acre compensation for those whose crop got damaged by white-fly attack, Rs 20,000 per family compensation for farm labour, Rs 4,500 per quintal rate for basmati PUSA 1509 variety, and Rs 5,000 per quintal for basmati PUSA 1121 variety. According to a report in IBN, eight farmers’ organisations, including BKU Ekta (Dakunda), BKU Ekta (Ugrahan), BKU (Krantikari), Kirti Kisan Union had earlier decided to disrupt railway services in the state for two days, in order to intensify the agitation.