Kisan Yatra to be launched for farmer-friendly policies

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Friday , April 25, 2008 at 0022 hrs Citing the FAO director-general Jacques Diouf ‘s recent statement of the possibility of a food riot around the globe, the farmers cautioned the government to aim at measures for conserving and protecting farmlands in the interest of country’s food security.

They criticised the policy of setting up of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) on fertile farmlands. The farmers have planned a 8-day Kisan Yatra in Haryana beginning April 26 to protest against the state government’s decision to set SEZs. A massive rally is planned on May 11 in village Pelpa to be addressed by top farmer leaders.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday in Delhi, the president of Bharatiya Krishak Samaj, Krishan Bir Chaudhary said, “Haryana is the granary of the country and is a small state with 20 districts where 93 SEZs have been given in principle approval and 67 are before the Board of Approval. If such unbridled grabbing of farmlands continue there would be practically no land for cultivation and this would cause food security problem. The farmers, who are not getting remunerative prices for the sale of land, will be reduced to beggars.”

The president of Haryana Kisan Mazdoor Samiti, Mahabir Gulia said, “The Haryana government is employing all sorts of foul tactics to acquire farmland from farmers at a cheap price and selling it to big corporate houses for setting up SEZs. The Haryana government is acting as a broker (dalal) in the interests of corporate houses.”

The FAO director-general Jacques Diouf has cautioned of food riots across the world in the near future if adequate steps are not taken. The government should read this writing on the wall and take immediate measures to conserve and protect farmlands said Dr Chaudhary. “Bharatiya Krishak Samaj believes that even the degraded lands can be brought back to agriculture,” he said. He also criticised bio-fuel programme aimed at displacing food crops