Punjab, Haryana farmers describe diesel price hike as unfair

Rohtak/Amritsar, Sep 15 (ANI): Farmers from Punjab and Haryana have described the decision of the Central Government to increase the price of diesel as unfair.

They said that the decision of the government merely aggravated their woes as they are already facing the brunt of drought.

"We protest against the rise of diesel price and this rise is against the interests of the farmers as already Haryana has been reeling under drought and almost 50 percent farmlands were not cultivated due to deficient rainfall. Many farmers had cultivated the land by putting their own money; they tried to save the crops and by not declaring the state as hit by drought, the government has treated the farmers in an unfair manner," said Mahesh Thakar, a farmer in Rohtak.

Farmers in Amritsar said they were already reeling under the pressure of price rise and this hike has exasperated their misery.

"This is a wrong decision taken by the government. Already the farmer is reeling under price rise, the fertilisers and pesticides are too costly and the machines and other items used for farming are also expensive. The increase in price of diesel by the government has added to the woes of the farmers," said Balwant Singh, a farmer.

The government had recently increased the price of diesel by Rs 5 a litre and capped the use of subsidised LPG cylinder to six in a year per family, evoking sharp protests all over the country.(ANI)