Amritsar: Several farmers o friday blocked rail and road traffic at different locations in the district opposing FDI in retail and hike in diesel price.
The agitating farmers blocked traffic near Attari border on the national highway at Rajasansi airport road and also blocked the national highway at Raya town near Beas around 40 km away from the city.
At Raya, farmers also blocked the Amritsar-Delhi railway track by squatting on it, police said.
The farmers led by Kisan Sangrash Committee and sixteen other farmers` organisations staged protests against the government for introducing FDI in multi-brand retail, diesel price hike and cap on usage of LPG gas.
They demanded that the Punjab Government should fulfill its promises which were made with them before the Assembly elections, Kisan Sangharsh Samiti head Kanwalpreet Singh Pannu said.
The farmers also demanded compensation for losses caused by drought.
"We demand Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 per acre compensation to drought-hit farmers depending upon the circumstances, besides Rs 10,000 compensation per labourer working in the village at the earliest possible, since labourers also became jobless due to drought," Pannu said.
The protesters urged the state government to stop forcible acquisition of fertile land of farmers all over Punjab on the pretext of bringing big projects, as "such policies would prove dangerous and against the well being of farmers."
During the protest, a demand was raised to bring a Bill in the state Assembly to stop forcible acquisition of agricultural land.
Many trains, including Shatabdi, Tata and local trains were affected as these ran behind schedule, officials said.
PTI
