A leading farmers’ organisation yesterday announced suspension of its ongoing protest march from Nashik to Mumbai over agrarian concerns after talks with the Maharashtra government. The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), backed by the CPI(M), announced suspension of the 180-km march from Nashik to Mumbai after a three-and-a-half hour meeting of its representatives with state ministers Girish Mahajan and Jaykumar Rawal. The meeting was also attended by CPI(M) MLA J P Gavit.
The farmers had embarked on the march yesterday morning, but it was called off later after third round of meeting. This was the second such protest march in last one year.
Besides accepting the demands raised by the farmers, the AIKS said the government has assured that water flowing in Maharashtra’s rivers like Nar, Par, Damanganga and Pinjal will be transferred to the Godavari basin through lift irrigation and used in drought-hit areas of the state.
