HimVani
Shimla: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has asked Himachal Pradesh horticulture minister Narinder Bragta to tender his resignation owing to his “abject failure in protecting the interests of agriculturists and horticulturists of the state, particularly the apple growers”.
Party state secretariat member Tikender Singh Panwar said in a statement issued here today that since the inception of the BJP government the woes of the farmers have increased substantially. “What to mention about the problems being faced in the state, the fare charged from ‘Tehtoli’, the native village of horticulture minister, to Shimla has gone up from Rs 25 to Rs 70/- per box of apple. This is the efficiency with which the state government runs,” Panwar stated. He said that roads leading to the market from all corners of the state are a torn-out form.
The CPIM has stated that this has created a situation where the crop or produce of the growers does not reach the market on time, becomes of which overripe fruits and vegetables fetch farmers a lower price. “Though the government had stated that there will be no dearth of trucks for carrying apples, the reverse is happening on the ground. The false shortage has been created to hike freight on apple and vegetable produce,” it alleged.
The CPIM has stated more than 20,000 trucks are registered in the state with a majority linked with cement carriage. “These trucks can be guided for one-side carriage of apple crop owing to bumper crop. Instead, the government is negotiating with truck operator unions outside the state,” Panwar said.
