Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana to block Pune-Bengaluru highway at two places on November 3

Titwewadi: The Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana has decided on a decisive fight over three demands: a fair price for sugarcane growers' labour, a first instalment of Rs 4,500 per tonne for this season, and water for farmers that is rightfully theirs. On Tuesday, November 3, it will hold an indefinite road blockade at two places on the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway on the same day.

Farmers from Kolhapur and Sangli districts, led by the organisation's founder-president and former MP Raju Shetti, will protest at the Kini toll plaza. At the same time in Satara district, all the organisation's office-bearers, workers and cane-growing farmers will block the highway at Nagthane (Satara tehsil), near the bridge over the Urmodi river. This will intensify the agitation over the cane price across western Maharashtra.

According to the organisation, sugar mill owners were given several days to find a way out through talks. However, the positive stance expected on announcing a first instalment of Rs 4,500 per tonne, given the farmers' cost of production, was not seen. This has caused widespread anger among farmers. In several places in the Khatav, Karad and Koregaon tehsils of Satara district, the transport of cane to sugar mills has already been stopped. For the past two days, farmers and the organisation's workers have been camping on the road and sustaining the agitation. As the next step, an indefinite blockade has now been announced at Nagthane.

The agitation will raise not only the cane price but also the issue of water from the Krishna, Urmodi and Tarli rivers. The organisation says the dams hold water, yet when it comes to giving farmers water for irrigation, rules, regulations and meetings of the canal advisory committee are cited. It has made a serious allegation that water due to farmers is being diverted elsewhere.

The organisation asks why rules do not stand in the way when water is taken elsewhere, but the law is invoked when the same water is to be given to farmers. It has taken a firm stand, saying that creating an artificial water shortage by misusing authority and power, frightening farmers about water and diverting their cane to mills at lower prices will no longer be tolerated. The demand to release the farmers' rightful water from the Krishna, Urmodi and Tarli rivers will also be raised at the Nagthane protest.

The appeal says the village market, traders, shopkeepers, transporters and the rural economy will survive only if the cane-growing farmer survives. All farmers, traders, shopkeepers, youths and ordinary citizens of Satara district have therefore been asked to join the Nagthane protest on November 3 for one day, for the farmers' just rights.

The Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana has declared its resolve that the struggle will continue until farmers get the price for their labour and their right to water. Farmers from Kolhapur-Sangli at the Kini toll plaza and from Satara at Nagthane will take to the road together to show their solidarity.