KMM Stages Protest across Punjab, Wants Govt Aid for Flood Losses

The Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) led fiery protests across Punjab on Monday, demanding immediate compensation for farmers devastated by recent floods and condemning the state government’s crackdown on stubble burning. Farmers burned effigies of both the Union and Punjab governments in a show of defiance, highlighting their frustration over unaddressed losses and punitive measures.

KMM leader Sarwan Singh Pandher, spearheading the protest in Amritsar, called for Rs 70,000 per acre to compensate for paddy crop losses caused by the deluge, with 10% of the amount allocated to farm laborers. He also demanded full compensation for livestock and poultry farm losses, as well as for homes damaged in the floods. "Farmers have lost everything—crops, livestock, and homes. The government must act now," Pandher urged.

Punjab faced unprecedented flooding this year, triggered by swollen Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers, compounded by heavy rainfall in their catchment areas in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. Torrential rains in Punjab further worsened the crisis, leaving agricultural fields submerged and covered with sand and silt. Pandher emphasized the need for government-provided seeds and fertilizers to support wheat sowing, along with additional time for farmers to clear debris from affected fields.

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The protests also targeted the state’s actions against stubble burning, a practice farmers resort to due to the short window between paddy harvest and wheat sowing. Pandher criticized the government for registering FIRs, imposing fines, and making red entries in land records, calling these measures oppressive. He proposed Rs 200 per quintal or Rs 6,000 per acre as financial aid for crop residue management to reduce stubble burning, warning that continued crackdowns would escalate farmer agitation.

Stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana has long been linked to Delhi’s air pollution crisis during October and November. However, farmers argue that without affordable alternatives, they are forced to burn crop residue to prepare fields for the Rabi crop. The KMM’s call for action was echoed by other farmer bodies, including Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Azad), BKU (Krantikari), BKU (Doaba), and Kisan Mazdoor Hitkari Sabha, who joined the statewide protests.

The farmers’ demands have put the Punjab government under intense scrutiny, with calls for immediate relief measures growing louder. As the state grapples with the aftermath of one of its worst floods in decades, the KMM’s agitation signals a deepening rift between farmers and the administration. If their demands for compensation and policy changes are not met, Pandher warned, the protests could intensify, potentially disrupting the state’s agricultural and political landscape.

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