Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers’ gatherings have health officials worried

Tribune News ServiceSangrur, May 30Amid the surge of Covid cases in rural areas, meetings of farmers in villages to mobilise more support for protests against the central farm laws have multiplied the problems of health department officials, who are trying to convince them against gatherings.Dharminder Pashore, BKU Ugrahan Leader Following all Covid normsWe are following Covid guidelines, maintaining social distancing and using sanitisers regularly. The government should not blame farmers squarely for the rise in Covid cases.“We are following Covid guidelines, maintaining social distancing and using sanitisers regularly. The government should not blame only farmers for Covid cases as guidelines are being violated by non-farming people,” said Dharminder Pashore, BKU Ugrahan leader from Lehra.Apart from ensuring participation of farmers in their indefinite protests at petrol pumps, railway station and in front of the houses of BJP leaders, farmer unions have intensified their campaign in villages to mobilise more farmers for New Delhi protests. They would send more groups of farmers and on Sunday also many left for New Delhi in buses through Khanauri border.“We have started multiple meetings in villages as we need the support of more farmers from each village to ensure proper gatherings in our indefinite protests and to send more residents to New Delhi. Farmers are coming out in large numbers after our requests” said Shivraj Singh, a farmer leader from Gurne Kalan village.In Sangrur district, a total of 740 residents have lost their lives due to Covid so far. Initially, the Covid cases were on higher side in urban areas, rural areas witnessed a sudden surge in patients. In many areas, residents have been refusing to get tested and vaccinated to prevent the spread of the virus.Sangrur Deputy Commissioner (DC) Ramvir said the health department teams had been visiting various villages for testing. “Earlier, rural residents were unwilling, but after repeated efforts by our teams, they understood the gravity of the situation and started responding positively. But still there are many, who are refusing and we are trying to cover all population of the district for testing and vaccination” said the DC.

The Tribune

2021-05-31