Monthly Archives: August 2018

Representational photo

Amarjot Kaur
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 31

To amplify the voice of farmers against the three agro-market laws, a group of former bureaucrats, including two Padam Shri awardees, and former Army persons, have come together to form Kirti Kisan Forum in the city.

So far, the group has written a letter in connection with farmers protest to the President of India and organised a seminar on the three farm laws at Punjab Kala Bhawan auditorium this month in the city, apart from donating beds and books at the Sighu border in January.

“We even met farmer leaders and members of Samyukt Kisan Morcha on January 31. They didn’t ask us for anything, except to spread awareness about the three laws and the adverse affect they will have on country’s farmers,” says Padam Shri SS Boparai, former Vice-Chancellor, Punjabi University, Patiala.

“The forum’s main concern are farmers, who have been battling financial adversities and are mostly in debt already,” he adds.

“You must be wondering how we ‘ji janaabs’ got together to form this forum,” says IAS (retd) Kulbir Singh. “I had posted a viral video of my brother, who is paralysed and was waving the Kisan Union flag to show support to farmers, who are protesting at the Delhi border. That started the conversation about farmer protests on our WhatsApp group,” he adds.

Padam Shri awardee RI Singh, who is also the former Chief Secretary, Punjab, explains, “We, retired bureaucrats have a WhatsApp group where we keep expressing our views on issues, policies and decisions that impact economy and society. It’s a freelance commentary, but for farmers we thought of going beyond just commenting. To build public opinion it was important to have a forum that allows debate and discussion, formulate a firm opinion and then project it.

Formed originally, through conversations on WhatsApp, Kirti Kisan Forum was conceptualised on December 20, last year.

“We had a meeting on February 9, which was attended by many former IPS, IAS officers and were also joined by ex-Army men along with many influential people at Kisan Bhawan. At first we were analysing what farmers needed at Singhu border and other protest points near Delhi, So, we took books in January. Then, we took beds for farmers,” says Boparai.

For representation only. File photo

Srinagar, March 31

A Border Roads Organisation (BRO) personnel died after a snow avalanche hit a vehicle near Zojilla Pass on Srinagar-Leh highway on Wednesday, officials said.

Ghulam Rasool Bhat, working as a driver with Project Beacon of the BRO, died after an avalanche hit a beacon vehicle near Zojilla, the officials said.

They said Bhat was buried under the avalanche and his body was retrieved by police and BRO personnel. — PTI

Photo for representational purpose only. iStock

Banihal/Jammu, March 31

An Army chopper with eight persons on board made an emergency landing on Wednesday in Ramban after developing some technical snag, a police officer said.

PD Nitya, SSP, Ramban, said all passengers were safe and the chopper later left for its destination after the fault was rectified. Officials said a patient was among the passengers on board the chopper who was being airlifted to Army base hospital in Udhampur. The chopper made the emergency landing at the district police lines, Ramban. “The ALH helicopter of Srinagar-based 15 Corps was on its way to Udhampur from Mansbal in Bandipora and made the emergency landing at 10.45 am. — PTI

Women harvest wheat in a field in Sangrur.

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, April 1

The agitation of farmers against the farm laws has brought a major change in the harvest season, with educated youths, including postgraduates and graduates, heading to fields to harvest the crop.

“I will not attend my IELTS classes for next 20 days as I need to supervise the harvest of our wheat crop on 16 acres. My father has been in Delhi since the agitation began,” said Bhupinder Singh, a youngster.

Ready for bigger role

Women in almost all villages are ready to play a bigger role in harvest this time. We do not want to call back our male members from the protest at Delhi borders. — Balbir Kaur, Sangrur resident

Many educated women have already started the manual harvest. “Since I did not get leave, today both my daughters, Maninder Kaur and Parmjit Kaur, who are law graduates, along with labourers harvested wheat on our one and half acres in our native Bhutal Kalan village,” said a government employee.

Asserts won’t stop approaching Centre till a way out is found to safeguard their interest

Capt Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister, Punjab

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 1

With the Punjab Arhtiyas’ Association threatening to boycott the procurement process in the rabi season on the issue of the direct bank transfer (DBT) of payment to farmers, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today assured the arhtiyas that the state government was working out all possible options to resolve the issue with the BJP-led NDA government. He also said the government would firmly stand by them.

In a meeting with all stakeholders, the state government has sought five days to end the deadlock. The arhtiyas’ association, led by its president Vijay Kalra, said the future course of action on the issue would be decided at a mahapanchayat of arhtiyas, farm labourers and farmer leaders on April 5 in Moga.

“If our demand is not met, we will boycott the procurement,” Kalra said. A senior government functionary said while the Chief Minister had been trying to seek time from the Prime Minister, state officials were holding talks with the Union Food Ministry.

In today’s meeting, the Chief Minister told arhtiyas that his government would continue to stand by them against the central government’s move to end the established system of making payments to farmers through them. The Chief Minister directed the department concerned to release the pending Rs 131 crore of the arhtiyas.

Capt Amarinder informed the meeting that he had been seeking time from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who appeared to be busy with election campaigns in various states, on the DBT issue. He said

he and his government would keep writing to the central government and knocking their doors.

He said he had already written to the Prime Minister on March 19, and personally spoken to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and the latter had assured all help in the matter. He added Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu had also met Shah on the issue.

Agents’ mahapanchayat on April 5

• The Punjab Arhtiyas’ Association has said the future course of action on the DBT issue will be decided at a mahapanchayat on April 5 in Moga
• Besides continuance of the existing system of payment to farmers, the arhtiyas are demanding clearance of all dues from the Food Corporation of India
• They have also opposed linking of land records with farmers’ produce being brought to the mandi, saying there’s no provision in the APMC Act for the linkage

This technology reduces the weight of the medium-sized BPJ from 10.4 kg to nine kg

Photo for representation only. Source: iStock.

Bengaluru, April 1

The Defence Materials and Stores Research and Development Establishment (DMSRDE), Kanpur has developed Light Weight Bullet Proof Jacket (BPJ) weighing nine kg, meeting the qualitative requirements of Indian Army, the Defence Research and Development Organisation said (DRDO) on Thursday.

The Front Hard Armour Panel (FHAP) jacket was tested at Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL), Chandigarh and met relevant BIS standards, it said in a statement.

According to the DRDO, the importance of this vital development lies in the fact that each gram of BPJ weight reduction is crucial in enhancing soldier comfort while ensuring survivability.

This technology reduces the weight of the medium-sized BPJ from 10.4 kg to nine kg.

Very specific materials and processing technologies have been developed in the laboratories for the purpose.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO scientists and the industry for developing the light weight BPJ to make the soldiers more comfortable.

The DRDO Chairman, Dr G Satheesh Reddy congratulated the DMSRDE team for the development. — PT

In Rajasthan’s Hanumangarh too, farmers “gheraoed and protested against Pilibangan MLA Dharmendra Singh at Dabli toll plaza”

Farmers gather at a site of a protest against the newly passed farm bills at Singhu border near Delhi. — PTI

New Delhi, April 1

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha on Thursday appealed to the BJP MPs and its allies to extend their support to the farmers’ movement.

The SKM also noted that they would continue their “peaceful social boycott” of leaders of the BJP and its allies.

“We request the BJP MPs and its allies and other elected representatives to support the farmers’ movement. The SKM appeals to these leaders that they can support the movement in any form, including resignation from their posts,” according to a statement released by the SKM. 

It claimed that Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala was met with “fierce opposition” by the farmers during his visit to Hisar on Thursday.

“Farmers did not let the helicopter of the anti-farmer Dushyant Chautala take off,” the statement claimed.

Chautala, whose Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) is the coalition partner of the ruling BJP in Haryana, has faced repeated protests from farmers over the past few months for supporting the agricultural laws.

In Rajasthan’s Hanumangarh too, farmers “gheraoed and protested against Pilibangan MLA Dharmendra Singh at Dabli toll plaza”.https://56e4f9593599bf3d2cd442efab68c66f.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

“At the time of the vote, they (leaders) become very friendly to the farmers and other people, but today when the farmers are struggling, he (Singh) is standing against them,” the statement said.

The Centre has said the new farm laws will benefit farmers by freeing them from the clutches of middlemen and ushering in new technology in the sector.