Thousands of farmers on Saturday marched to New Delhi. The farmers, who mostly hail from the districts of Western Uttar Pradesh, are demanding 16 things, including release of pending sugarcane dues, full loan waiver and free electricity, reported NDTV.

The farmers began a padayatra from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh on September 11 and are due to reach New Delhi on Saturday. The farmers, who are protesting under the banner of the Rashtriya Kisan Sangh, started their march from Noida’s Transport Nagar on Saturday morning, after talks between the Bharatiya Kisan Sangathan and the Ministry of Agriculture failed to begin. The farmers are on their way to Kisan Ghat in New Delhi.

“No politician is paying heed to us,” one of the farmers said. “Our protest will continue till our demands are fulfilled by the government.”

Around 300 farmers had arrived at Transport Nagar on Friday, the Hindustan Times reported. Thakur Pooran Singh, president of the Bharatiya Kisan Sangathan, said that the Centre has waived a few farmers’ loans. “There are thousands of farmers who are under debt and it is difficult for them to manage,” he said. “We demand the government to waive their loans as promised.”

Singh also said that the farmers are not getting good prices for their crops. “We demand the government to buy sugarcane at due price,” he said.

The protestors are also against the revised electricity rates in Uttar Pradesh. “The Delhi government has recently decreased the power bills of the resident,” Singh said. “On the other hand, the UP government has made steep increase in the power tariff. The local people are troubled over the issues.”

The farmers’ protest has led to traffic jams in Noida, as well as on the Meerut-Delhi Highway. Traffic movement near Noida Sector 62 has also been affected. Meanwhile, heavy paramilitary forces have been deployed along the route of the march.

The farmers have decided to go on a hunger strike if their demands are not met, NDTV reported.

Now, follow and debate the day’s most significant stories on Scroll Exchange.