Sajanagad: Scores of farmers launched a dharna in front of the Nilagiri sub-Collector’s office in Balasore alleging irregularities in registration for paddy procurement, Tuesday.
It was alleged that mandis have opened but many farmers are finding it difficult to sell their paddy produce.
Farmers affiliated to cooperative societies at Kansa, Ajodhya, Sajanagad, Siadimala and Mitrapur said that they had managed to harvest paddy braving Bulbul, erratic rainfall, pest onslaught and elephant menace.
They had registered their names at the procurement centres. Surprisingly, names of 299 farmers have been left out of the list. They alleged that they are unable to sell off their paddy. They had taken up the issue with the Collector, the sub-Collector and the secretary of the Civil Supplies department but to no help.
The registration was started from August 6 and closed September 22. During the period, registration of some farmers could not be possible due to neglect of the officials at a LAMP, it is alleged. Farmers demanded remedial measures for registration of the left-out farmers.
We had no way but start dharna for an indefinite period, lamented farmers like Chittaranjan Sarangi, Chandan Rout, Saroj Behera, Nagendra Behera, Patitapaban Mohanty, Jashobant Singh and Anadi Rout.
Sub-Collector Harishchandra Jena held talks with the agitating farmers in the presence of BDO Ramdas Tudu and SDPO Amulya Kumar Dhar. The officials assured that the issue will be sorted out in seven days.
