Angry over unscheduled power cuts in the state due tocoal crisis, farmers blocked the Jalandhar-Delhi national highway here todayfor nearly two-four hours.
Areas like Rama Mandi, Chugitti Chowk, Lamma Pind amongothers witnessed jams as the main highway was blocked by the farmers. Trafficwas diverted by the police through villages near the Club Cabana resort on thehighway or from other link roads to avoid traffic bottlenecks. However, thebusy intersection of Rama Mandi witnessed traffic bottlenecks until late afternoon.
The Bharatiya Kisan Union (Rajewal) District PresidentMandeep Samra said, "Punjab government is not providing adequateelectricity to farmers." The farm union's chief spokesperson JathedarKashmir Singh Jandiala and District Youth Head Amarjot Singh also attended theprotest.
“Due to power outage, farmers were facing difficultysowing the crop and harvesting the crop in the field.”
Meanwhile, after Punjab government assured to restorepower in two days, blocked roads and highways were reopened and farmers announcedto end their protest.
Witnessing the massive traffic jam in the city, the chiefpowercom engineer Jainender Dania arrived at the scene of protest after twohours. Mr Dania informed the farmers about the looming coal scarcity, assuringthe power supply to be restored in two days.
Farmers, on the other hand, gave a two-day ultimatum andended the protest. The vehicular movement has been resumed with police liftingthe barricades in several city corners, including those at BSF and PAP Chowk.
The stranded passengers are relieved.
BKU members had blocked National Highway at PAP Chowk toprotest against the power crisis, resulting in blockage of movement toLudhiana, Amritsar, Delhi, Panipat, Rajpura, Pathankot and other cities.Reportedly, an ambulance and the groom's car were also halted in the trafficjam which was eventually cleared by the farmers.
According to farmer leaders, the state administration hadpromised an uninterrupted power supply for 8 hours during the paddy and wheatsowing and transplanting seasons. However, there was never adequateelectricity.
Punjab is currently facing a power outage due to a coalscarcity. Punjab's government and private thermal plants can barely producehalf of the required energy.