Lockdown on, farmer unions to pare numbers, implement Covid protocols

The state governments of both Punjab and Haryana have imposed limited lockdowns to halt the transmission of the virus.

A day after the Punjab government appealed to farmers to downsize their protests in view of the raging pandemic, 32 farmer unions of the state have indicated that they will trim the size of their dharnas besides implementing Covid protocols at the Singhu, Ghazipur, and Tikri protest sites.

The state governments of both Punjab and Haryana have imposed limited lockdowns to halt the transmission of the virus. As of now the farmers are sitting at 108 spots such as petrol pumps, shopping malls, toll plazas, and railway stations etc in Punjab. Dr Darshan Pal, president of Krantikari Kisan Union and a spokesperson of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) said, “We can think of reducing the strength of protesters at various sites in Punjab as people are already mobilised, but we will maintain our strength at Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur.’’

He said the unions are instead planning to implement Covid-appropriate behaviour at these three sites.

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