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Punjab farmers end protest on Chandigarh borders; consensus on demands

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The stalemate between protesting farmers and the Punjab government led by Bhagwant Mann ended on Wednesday with a consensus on most of their demands, comprising beginning paddy sowing from June 10.

They later called off their protest that began a day earlier on borders of the state capital Chandigarh, similar on the lines of the year-long protest against the Centre’s farm laws at the Delhi borders that ended with the revoking of the three Central farm laws.

The meeting between the Chief Minister and leaders of 23 farmers’ unions under the banner of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha that lasted for over two and half hours here.

After the meeting, Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Kuldip Singh Dhaliwal reached the protest venue in Mohali, near here, where thousands of farmers had been staging a sit-in protest since Tuesday.

He said the meeting of the farmers with the Chief Minister was fruitful and the farmers accepted to end the protest. There was a consensus on 12 out of 13 demands of farmers.

The prominent demands include minimum support price (MSP) for the purchase of maize, basmati and moong (pulses) that the government has assured, ending staggered paddy cultivation from June 18, electricity prepaid meters not to be installed, besides a compensation of Rs 500 per quintal for those who suffered losses due to early onset of early summer.

The farmers on Wednesday threatened to break the barricades set up on borders to march to the Chief Minister’s residence in Chandigarh if their demands were not met.

After the meeting, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal told the media that the Chief Minister has accepted their demand to divide the state into two zones for sowing of paddy instead of four.

“Now half of the state would be able to sow paddy from June 14, while the rest from June 17. We have been asked to divide the districts into two zones. Earlier, the government had ordered that the sowing would start from June 18 in a staggered manner in the four zones,” he said.

The government assured the farmers that they would get MSP on moong (lentils) and a notification in this regard has already been issued.

At the meeting, the Chief Minister asked the farmers to immediately go for paddy nursery so that paddy transplantation could be ensured within the stipulated time schedule.

He apprised the farm leaders the government has already issued a notification to procure the entire crop of ‘moong’ on MSP of Rs 7,275 per quintal.

He also assured them that the government is already in the mode of finalizing modalities to procure maize too on MSP to give boost to its ambitious programe of crop diversification.

On the issue of MSP for basmati, the Chief Minister said he would call on Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday to impress upon the government of India to immediately announce MSP on basmati so as to encourage the farmers to go for its cultivation in a big way by shifting from water guzzling paddy.

He also told the farmers that he would also take up the contentious issue of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) with Shah for expeditious resolution to the satisfaction of all stakeholders.

Mann urged the union leaders to give him some time for at least one year to bring farmer-friendly reforms in the agriculture sector.

At the same time, he urged them to shun the path of agitation and if they had any grouse against the government they should sit across the table to finally find an amicable solution.

Responding to another issue raised by the farm unions, Mann said the government would soon come out with a comprehensive policy for bestowing ownership rights on the cultivators who had been in possession of panchayat land and cultivating the same since long to convert the barren land into cultivable.

In a related development, the Cabinet led by the Chief Minister approved Rs 1,500 per acre incentive to the farmers for sowing of paddy through the Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) technology.

A sum of Rs 450 crore has been earmarked to provide incentive to the farmers for promotion of less water consuming and cost effective DSR technology.

This step would be instrumental to save nearly about 15-20 per cent water as compared to the conventional puddling method during the lifecycle of crops.

The alarming situation arisen out of fast depleting groundwater mainly due to water guzzling traditional method of paddy transplantation needs bold measures to check this serious trend instantly.

At present, the water table is falling at rate of 86 cm per year, leading to a precarious situation, where no underground water will be available across the state in coming 15-20 years.

According to a spokesperson for the Chief Minister’s Office, this technique will encourage majority of farmers to adopt as it needs far less water for irrigation, improves percolation, reduces dependence on farm labour and improves soil health and help enhancing yield of both paddy and wheat by 5-10 per cent.

The tempers of the protesting farmers had ran high a day earlier as the Chief Minister failed to meet the leaders over their demands and left for Delhi.

Late in the evening, Mann said the agitation was “unwarranted and undesirable” and asked the farm unions to join hands with the government for checking the depleting water table.

Maharashtra

Who put up 103 out of 306 hoardings on railway land? BMC has no information. Hoarding mafia is active in Central and Western Railways.

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Mumbai: A total of 306 hoardings have been put up on Central and Western Railway land in Mumbai. Of these, 179 hoardings are on Central Railway land and 127 on Western Railway land. It is noteworthy that no information is available about who has put up 68 out of 179 hoardings of Central Railway and 35 out of 127 hoardings of Western Railway. This shocking information has come to light from an investigation conducted under the Right to Information (RTI) by RTI activist Anil Gilgali.

Anil Gilgali had sought various information from the Licensing Superintendent Office of Mumbai Municipal Corporation regarding the hoardings installed in the city. In response, the Licensing Superintendent Office provided detailed information about the hoardings installed on the land of Central, Western and Harbor Railways.

127 hoardings have been installed on Western Railway land. There are 3 seats in A ward, 1 in D ward, 1 in G South, 12 in G North, 2 in K East, 1 in K West, 10 in P South and 4 in R South. 35 hoardings are on Western Railway land, which have no owner and 179 hoardings are on Central Railway land. There are 68 hoardings on Central Railway land, which are not owned by anyone. There are 5 hoardings in E ward, 10 in F South ward, 2 in G North ward, 9 in L ward and 42 in T ward, a total of 68 hoardings.

According to Anil Gilgali, it is very important for the railway administration to maintain transparency after the Ghatkopar accident. Apart from this, the rules of the Municipal Corporation should be followed completely. If these hoardings are unauthorized, then the railway administration should remove them immediately and take strict action against the people concerned. Hoarding mafia is active in Mumbai and an IAS officer was given the charge of licensing department to bring a positive impact on the new advertising policy of Mumbai Municipal Corporation. Because financial irregularities are being done deliberately and without permission.

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Maharashtra

Three lakh pilgrims visit Haji Ali in Mumbai on Eid

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Mumbai: Eid-ul-Fitr passed off peacefully in Mumbai. Muslims celebrated Eid with simplicity and protested against the Waqf Bill by offering namaz with black bands on their arms. After Eid-ul-Fitr, a huge crowd of pilgrims thronged Haji Ali and Mahim dargahs. Three lakh pilgrims visited Haji Ali, for which the police had made tight security arrangements.

More than 300,000 pilgrims visited Haji Ali Dargah on the occasion of Basi Eid 2025. As per the preparations made with the Haji Ali Dargah Trust

200 volunteers

25 swimmers

78 CCTV cameras, CCTV camera operators, public announcement were arranged on the main road as well as in the dargah premises. First aid facilities were available on the main road as well as in the dargah premises. Heavy police force was deployed for search, barricades and ropes were also arranged. Eid and Basi Eid passed off peacefully in Mumbai and no untoward incident took place. On the instructions of Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Panchalkar, the police had made additional security arrangements at dargahs and mosques.

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Crime

Mumbai Malad Gudi Padwa violence: Three arrested, situation peaceful, police alert, DCP Asmita Hotel

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Mumbai: After the violence on Gudi Padwa in Malad, Mumbai, the situation is now peaceful here, but despite this, politics has also started on this issue and an attempt has been made to spread communal tension by giving it a Hindu-Muslim color. On the occasion of Gudi Padwa, a local youth attacked five minors passing in front of Noorani Mosque. In this case, the police has controlled the situation and so far three people have been arrested. A case of rioting has also been registered against them. The crowd is also being identified. The accused have been identified on the basis of CCTV and three people have been arrested. Along with this, after getting control of the situation, the police has put Malad on high alert and is also keeping an eye on communal elements.

Now communal elements have started trying to spoil the atmosphere in Mumbai, so the police is also keeping an eye on social media. Local DCP Smita Patil said that the situation in Malad Maloni is peaceful and action is being taken against the miscreants. Arrests are also continuing after examining CCTV footage and other footage.

So far three people have been arrested in this case, one of whom is Sharan, who attacked the minor. In this case, Vishwa Hindu Parishad Bajrang Dal has given an ultimatum to the police that if they do not arrest the accused as soon as possible, they will protest. In this case, the DCP has made tight security arrangements at all places and has also appealed not to pay attention to rumors and not to share unverified videos or controversial posts on social media. The police is on alert to maintain law and order in Mumbai and Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Panchalkar has issued strict instructions.

Sanjay Nirupam’s venomous attack on the violence on Gaddi Padwa

After the violence on Gudi Padwa, Sanjay Nirupam has made many serious allegations against the police, he has accused the police of delaying action and protecting the accused. He has questioned the action of Mumbai Police and said that the main accused Sharan and his mother do not allow Hindus to celebrate their festivals and their hooliganism continues here. Sanjay Nirupam has called Muslims Jihadis. Sanjay Nirupam said that the police took action when pressure was put on them.

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