Karnataka - Belgaum   

Farmers protest against toll fee on NH 4

VOICING PROTEST: BJP workers and farmers staging a rasta roko at the NHAI toll gate on National Highway 4 near Hirebagewadi in Belgaum district on Wednesday.

Belgaum: Members of the Bharatiya Janata Party and growers staged a rasta roko on the Golden Quadrilateral section of the Pune-Bangalore National Highway No 4 near Hirebagewadi on Wednesday opposing collection of toll fee by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

Led by a youth BJP leader and member of the dissolved Assembly Abhaykumar Patil, the protestors said that toll fee should not be collected from tractors and bullock carts transporting sugarcane either within the State or from one State to another.

Many farmers supply sugarcane to sugar factories situated in the neighbouring areas of Maharashtra for prices which are higher than what they get from factories in Belgaum district.

However, sources told The Hindu that toll fee was collected as per the orders of the authority. Toll gates have been installed at every 50 km along the highway and there were different rates for different vehicles.

Growers said they paid Rs. 305 for one way journey while transporting sugarcane from Belgaum to Kolhapur district in Maharashtra as there were three toll gates at Hirebagewadi (Rs. 100), Hattargi (Rs. 105) and Kugnoli (Rs. 100).

However, sources said growers or sugarcane transporters were buying tickets for multiple journeys to save 50 per cent of the cost on their return journey.

However, due to delay in unloading sugarcane in Maharashtra, they could not return within the stipulated 24 hours and thus, have to pay the difference amount.

Therefore, Mr. Abhaykumar Patil said, the sugarcane growers were not getting scientific price for their crop. The toll fee was only an additional burden and cuts down their income.

The Government should immediately take note of the growers’ plight and direct the NHAI to stop collecting toll for tractors and bullock-carts used for transportation of sugarcane.

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