Bargarh: Paddy procurement in this district has been hit by a series of roadblocks since November 15, triggering resentment among farmers, a report said.
While at some places, procurement centres have been opened the purchasing agencies are yet to set their feet there, at other places, farmers are sore over the fact the procurement centres are yet to open though paddy stocks are available with them in abundance.
Hundreds of farmers of Gaisima region under the jurisdiction of the regulated market committee in Bargarh staged a sit-in outside the district supply office carrying utensils and cooking appliances.
They alleged that despite repeated demands for opening of a Mandi in their village the administration is yet to take any step in this regard. They relented after district supply officer Bibekananda Korkora met the agitating farmers and assured them of opening a Mandi in their village Wednesday. They warned of an intensified agitation if their demands were not met
Sources said farmers of Gaisima have been demanding a procurement centre in their village for long. The administration except promising them to look into their demands has failed in taking any step in this direction. As a result, farmers are forced to depend on Khandahatatha and Adagaon procurement centres to sell their produce.
A week before the launch of the procurement process, farmers met sub- collector VPK Ekka at the collector’s grievance cell and reiterated their demand by submitting a memorandum to him November 7. Accepting the memorandum, Ekka asked the assistant registrar of cooperative societies Saroj Kanta Jena to take necessary steps.
On being directed by Jena, a team comprising the president and secretary of primary agricultural cooperative societies (PACS) visited Gaisima and took stock of the situation. Later, they submitted a report to Jena who in turn sent it to the district supply officer for action at his end.
However, the administration is yet to open a Mandi in Gaisima. The farmers even met the district supply officer Saturday and pleaded with him to look into their demand. However, that even did not work in their favour, forcing them to resort to agitation.
Ghanashyam Sahu, a farmer, said his village contributes over 50,000 sacks of paddy for procurement but a Mandi is yet to be opened in his village. They are facing a lot of trouble in commuting to Dhanger, Khandahatata and Adagaon mandis to sell their stocks.
Moreover, the place where the marketing officials ask them to stack their paddy sacks is a cremation ground despite their village having all the necessary facilities for a mandi, the farmer said. PNN