Supreme Court-formed committee holds first meeting to Resolve Shambhu Border blockade amid farmers' protest
PTC Web Desk: A high-power committee, appointed by the Supreme Court to address the six-month-long blockade of the Shambhu border due to the farmers' protest, held its inaugural meeting at Haryana Bhawan in Chandigarh on Wednesday. The meeting, chaired by retired Justice Nawab Singh, was attended by senior officials, including the Chief Secretaries and Directors General of Police (DGP) from Punjab and Haryana.
The meeting lasted for two hours, during which critical issues surrounding the Shambhu border's reopening were thoroughly discussed. In the coming days, the committee is expected to engage directly with the protesting farmers to negotiate the removal of blockades.
Following the meeting, neither Punjab nor Haryana officials made any statements to the media, opting instead to leave the venue promptly.
Notably, the Supreme Court, during a hearing a couple of days ago, had formed this high-power committee, entrusting it with the authority to devise solutions and engage with farmers to facilitate the removal of the blockades at the Shambhu border. The court said the committee should be free to determine key issues, warning against politicising the situation due to its sensitive nature.
Earlier, Punjab and Haryana officials held two meetings with the farmers in Patiala, but these talks failed to yield any concrete results. Following this, the Supreme Court requested the appointment of experts from both states, resulting in the formation of the current committee.
The committee will now focus on engaging with the protesting farmers, urging them to clear the blockades and help restore the flow of traffic at the Shambhu border, a vital link between Punjab and Haryana.
- With inputs from our correspondent
