New Delhi, 12 Aug

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the police chiefs of both Punjab and Haryana to hold a meeting along with the SPs of adjoining Patiala and Ambala districts within one week for partial reopening of the highway at the Shambhu border, where protesting farmers have been camping since 13 February.

The court asked the Punjab government to persuade protesting farmers at the Shambhu border to remove tractors from the road, saying highways are not parking space. A bench of justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan also appreciated the Punjab and Haryana government for suggesting apolitical names for constituting a committee, which will hold meetings with the protesting farmers.

The bench said partial opening of the road at Shambhu order is needed to facilitate movement of ambulances, essential services, senior citizens, women, girl students and the local commuters of adjoining areas. "We will pass a brief order on the terms of the panel to be constituted for talking to protesting farmers at Shambhu border," the bench said.

The top court had earlier asked the Punjab and Haryana governments to suggest the names of some neutral personalities for setting up an independent committee to reach out to farmers protesting at the Shambhu border over their demands like legal guarantee of MSP for their produce, saying nobody should precipitate the situation.

It was hearing the Haryana government's plea challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court order asking it to remove within a week the barricades at the Shambhu border near Ambala where protesting farmers have been camping since 13 February. The Haryana government had set up barricades on the Ambala-New Delhi national highway in February after the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha announced that farmers would march to Delhi in support of their demands.