JAIPUR: A month after the agitation by farmers of Indira Gandhi Canal Project Phase I area, residents of Phase II areas came out on the streets on Monday in an effort to protect their share of water from the Himalayan rivers. The market yards at three places in Bikaner district — Kolayat, Phugal and Bajju — witnessed shutdowns while the Sub-Divisional Magistrate's office was picketed at Kolayat.

The farmers of the Phase II areas, falling in the districts of Jaisalmer, Barmer and parts of Bikaner, were led by Devi Singh Bhati, former Minister and founder president of the now defunct Social Justice Front. The farmers from the area have set up a joint committee.

The farmers' "padav" (sieges) in the Phase I areas now are on in Sriganganagar towns of Gharsana and Kajuwala and Chaiya in Hanumangarh district.

"We are asking for our share of water. It is for the farmers of the Phase II area to assert and fight for their share," said Vasudev, State secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), on phone from Anupgarh.

"We are not against their demand, " he added. "We want our share. In fact for both of us it is a fight against the State Government for water."

The farmers of the Phase I area held a rally at Anupgarh in Srigangangar district during the day.

Besides Prof. Vasudev, CPI (M) MLA Amra Ram, the Congress leaders, Heeralal Indora and Prithipal Singh and leader of the Kisan Mazdoor Vyapari Sangarsh Samiti, Vallabh Kocher, addressed the rally.

Prof. Vasudev said the farmers are planning a march from Chaiya to Rawatsar on Tuesday morning.

This would involve violation of prohibitory orders in force in Rawatsar. The CPI (M) also proposed to involve the farmers of the Phase I areas at the party's rally in Delhi on November 20, he said.

A nation-wide farmers' march coming from southern part of the country would enter Rajasthan's Dungarpur district on November 16 from the Gujarat side and traverse through the State to reach Delhi, Prof. Vasudev said.

The farmers from the districts of Bikaner division and the Shekhawati region would participate in the Delhi rally, he said.

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