Boudh: Thousands of farmers of Boudh district belonging to the Bharatiya Kishan Sangha gheraoed the tehsil office and the Collectorate Wednesday.
The tehsil authorities promised to clear all their dues by September 30, after verification of records. Farmers marched from there and picketed the Collectorate.
Collector Lalatendu Mishra, SP V Raghunath Rao and Sub-Collector NC Jyotiranjan Naik held talks with the farmers, reports said. The district administration promised to raise the issues with the government and take steps for a timely solution.
The compensation for the years 2011 and 2013, granted by the government for crop losses was returned by the district authorities. The compensation for the years 2015 and 2017 was also returned, reliable sources said.
The farmers said that the damage caused by natural calamity ‘Pethai’ in 2018 was not properly estimated, and that officials prepared false reports at home, which could possibly rob many farmers of compensation.
The government had sanctioned Rs 13 crore which has not been given to the beneficiaries. They also demanded early disbursement of ‘Kalia Yojana’ money, enlistment of farmers in the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Yojana and payment of the Rs 6,000 assistance granted under the scheme.
The main demands of the farmers are immediate disbursal of outstanding compensation, provision of adequate irrigation facilities and construction of the proposed mega irrigation project at Gurujimunda in Boudh district.
The farmers of Boudh district are facing tremendous problems. Although they are suffering scanty rainfall, floods, pest attacks and droughts every year the government is not paying them adequate compensation.
Disgusted by the inertia of the local administration they launched protests. Compensation for the crop losses of 2015 has not been given yet, the leaders of the protesting farmers said.
PNN
