New Delhi: The Supreme Court has directed the Director General of Police (DGPs), Haryana and Punjab governments to hold a meeting within a week and explore the possibility of opening one or two lanes on National Highway at the Shambhu border along Patiala and Ambala which has been barricaded since February this year due to the farmers’ protest.
A bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan said,”The DGPs of the both the states of Haryana and Punjab must work out modalities for opening of the National Highway for the purpose of ambulances, senior citizens, women, girl students, essential services and daily commuters of nearby areas.”
The court also said that if Haryana and Punjab are able to resolve the issue of opening of one or two lanes of the highway, they should not wait for formal orders from the Supreme Court and implement the measures for opening of the highway immediately.
We are concerned about the situation on the ground: Apex Court
During the course of the hearing of a petition on opening of Sambhu border that has been blocked by Haryana police to prevent the passage of framers from Punjab into Haryana, the court said, “We are concerned about the situation on the ground.”
The court also appreciated the efforts made by the States of Punjab and Haryana in suggesting a panel of names of eminent persons who can talk with farmers and persuade them to clear the highway, as it has been causing immense difficulty to commuters.
These names were submitted by Punjab and Haryana governments pursuant to a an earlier order of the Supreme Court where the court had suggested setting up of a committee of eminent persons to talk to farmers about their demands and persuade them to clear the high way.
Justice Surya Kant remarked that after all highway is not a parking place and farmers have to be persuaded to remove these vehciles- tractors etc- from the highways.
Justice Suryakant appreciated the efforts of the state governments in giving names of persons who were apolitical and connected with farmers issues.
No headway was being made in talks with farmers beacuses there was a trust deficit, apex court earlier observed
Earlier, the Supreme Court had observed that no headway was being made in talks with farmers beacuse there was a trust deficit.
“You are sending your ministers, who do not know about the problem on the ground to talk to farmers. There is a trust deficit. Why do you not think of some neutral people who will inspire confidence to go and talk to farmers, who have the moral strength to tell the farmers where they are right and where they are wrong,” Justice Surya Kant had remarked.