ANGRY FARMERS

Farmers to stop trains at New Cooch Behar on Thursday

COOCH BEHAR, Nov. 26: Aloo-Pat-Dhan Chashi Sangram Committee (APDCSC) - an organisation of farmers – will organise a Rail Roko programme at New Cooch Behar Railway Station tomorrow. Their main demand is waiving of agricultural loans taken by farmers. A large gathering is expected at New Cooch Behar Railway Station premises at tomorrow noon. The running of Tista Torsa Express and a few other trains is feared to be affected by the stir tomorrow.

 

Yesterday, the APDCSC activists had submitted memorandums to the additional district magistrate (general) and the regional manager of the Central Bank of India. The secretary of the APDCSC, Mr Nripen Karjee alleged that the indebted cultivators were suffering from artificial crisis of fertilisers and price hike of essential commodities. Moreover, the branch managers of some banks in Akrarhat, Chandamari and other places are luring and even coercing the poor borrowing farmers to take up life insurance policies of different companies, he alleged.

 

Mr Karjee alleged that the farmers are yet to receive the insured sums for the 2006-2007 fiscal year. Loan amounts were not waived for the farmers till 29 February of this year. Taking away of Rs 2000 to Rs 3000 from the indebted farmers in the name of life insurance premium is nothing but inhuman, illegal and economic offence, he said.

 

The APDCSC secretary said they were demanding immediate halt of coercing the borrowing farmers to adapt life insurance policies at all branches of nationalised and rural banks. They should pay back the premiums taken from unwilling farmers. He also demanded waiving of all agricultural loans for the 2007-2008 fiscal year, granting of new loans and payment of assured crop-insurance sums to the affected farmers.

 

If tomorrow's Rail Roko movement fails to yield any result they may organise greater movement in near future, Mr Karjee warned.

 

When asked about the demands and allegations raised by the APDCSC, the district magistrate of Cooch Behar Mr Rajesh Kumar Sinha said they would talk with the banks concerned over the matter. He however made no comment over the Rail Roko plan of the farmers.