Summary:
Chandigarh, May 17 (PTI) Punjab farmers sat on a protest near the Chandigarh-Mohali border on Tuesday after being stopped from heading to the state capital to press the AAP government with various demands, including a bonus on wheat and beginning paddy sowing from June 10.
Terming the protest "unwarranted and undesirable" Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann asked the farmer unions to stop sloganeering and join hands with the state government to stop Punjab"s depleting water table.
Mann said his doors are open for the farmers to hold talks but "hollow slogans" cannot break his resolve to check further depletion of the water table.
He also said that he is a farmer"s son and is well aware of the issues afflicting crop growers.
Earlier, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal gave an ultimatum to the Punjab government, saying if the chief minister does not hold a meeting with the protesters by Wednesday, they will move towards Chandigarh breaking barricades for holding an indefinite protest.
A heavy contingent of police was deployed at the Chandigarh-Mohali border in the wake of several farmer bodies" call for an indefinite protest in the Union Territory over their demands.
The Mohali police put up barricades and tippers and rolled out water cannons to prevent protesting farmers from entering Chandigarh.
The Chandigarh police too made similar security arrangements.
"It is the start of our struggle in Punjab and it will continue till our demands are met.
Only 25 per cent of farmers have come here so far.
More will come tomorrow.
It is a do or die battle," said a farmer leader.
Several farmer unions had given a call for an indefinite protest in Chandigarh on the lines of the year-long agitation at the Delhi borders against the Centre"s three farm laws which were repealed in response to the protests.
The call was given by the farmer bodies several days ago.
Among their various demands, farmers want a Rs 500 bonus on each quintal of wheat as their yield has dropped and shrivelled because of unprecedented heatwave conditions.
They are also against the Punjab government"s decision to allow paddy sowing in a staggered manner from June 18 to lessen the electricity burden and conserve underground water.
The protesters want the government to allow them to sow paddy from June 10.
They also want a notification issued for the minimum support price for maize and moong.
They are also demanding the government lower the charges on the extension of electricity load from Rs 4,800 to Rs 1,200, 10-12 hours of power supply and release of outstanding sugarcane payment.