BHAWANIPATNA: Woes of Kalahandi farmers participating in paddy procurement seems to be unending this season. For the last two months, farmers have been alleging that they are being harassed not only by the Civil Supply officials but also millers as far issuance of tokens, providing gunny bags to pack paddy and lifting the stock from procurement centres or mandis are concerned.
On Monday, agitated farmers under Junagarh regulated marketing committee locked the main gate of Kulihari mandi and staged demonstration protesting delay in procurement. Over 15,000 bags of paddy are lying unsold in the mandi. Farmers alleged that many of them have not received tokens yet to sell their paddy and those who have received it are opposing indiscriminate deduction of paddy stock during procurement by millers on several grounds.
Following the agitation, a group of farmer leaders from six blocks under Indravati irrigated area conducted a meeting and decided to intensify the stir if the State Government and district administration fail to address their issues. They decided to block the NH and stage demo in front of houses of MLAs in their respective blocks to draw attention of the latter to their plight.