Barpali: Hundreds of farmers blocked NH-126 in front of Barpali tehsil office in Bargarh district Monday alleging unusual delay in paddy procurement for Rabi crop season.
Vehicular movement on the highway came to a standstill owing to the protest.
“Our produces are not being procured on the pretext of faults in tokens issued, expiry of tokens, higher moisture levels in paddy and procurement target issues,” a protesting farmer said.
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According to sources, the farmers had been protesting under the banner of ‘Barpali Krushak Mancha’ for the last few days by dumping paddy-filled sacks. They resorted to road blockade Monday morning after the local administration did not address their concerns.
Later, Barpali tehsildar Akshay Kumar Bagh reached out to the agitators and tried to pacify them. The roadblock was continuing at the time of filing this report as discussion between farmers and the official failed.
Notably, many farmers from Salhepali area under Bheden block of Bargarh recently protested at the district collectorate June 18 over this issue. Farmers have been bringing their produces to the procurement centres, but the paddy is not being procured on various pretexts, they had alleged.
PNN
