Digapahandi: The ongoing fertiliser crisis took an ugly turn in Sanakhemundi block of Ganjam district Tuesday when some farmers stormed into a warehouse and fled with about 15 sacks of urea, even as several people including some police personnel sustained injuries during a protest, reports said.
Shortage of fertiliser has been a major issue in the state with farmers resorting to agitation, resulting in a law and order situation at several areas. Acute crunch of urea fertiliser in Sanakhemundi triggered protests Tuesday as farmers staged a road blockade near Malabhanja village on National Highway-326 connecting Digapahandi and Rayagada Tuesday morning.
The blockade threw traffic out of gear as hundreds of vehicles were left stranded on both sides of the highway, until Digapahandi police intervened and persuaded them to withdraw the stir.
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Later, farmers from Malabhanja, Radhanagar, Tileswar, Nuagarh, Ambagaon, Guma, Chanchadapalli, Kholadi, Shundhipalli and other villages marched to Malabhanja Primary Agriculture Cooperative Society (PACS) office demanding immediate release of fertilisers.
When PACS secretary Bipin Sarangi arrived, they surrounded him, preventing him from alighting from his vehicle. Police had to escort him inside amid pushing and shoving by farmers.
As the situation worsened, Digapahandi IIC Prashant Kumar Patra reached the spot with a platoon of forces. Around noon, while tokens were being issued for fertiliser distribution, a group of farmers stormed the warehouse and fled with about 15 sacks of urea.
In the scuffle, Sarangi, social worker Ashwini Kumar Rath and several police personnel sustained minor injuries. Police later restored order and supervised fertiliser distribution.
Sarangi said the cooperative had 226 sacks of urea in stock, with an additional 450 sacks arriving Tuesday morning for sale to farmers.
PNN