SAMBALPUR: Farmers under the aegis of Paschim Odisha Krushak Sangathan Samanwaya Samiti (POKSSS) on Friday staged demonstrations across western Odisha protesting the new farm laws.In Sambalpur, the farmers staged dharna near the district Collectorate wearing masks and maintaining social distancing. Convenor of POKSSS Ashok Pradhan said the Union Government passed the farm bills without holding discussions with farmers’ organisations and without assessing the ground realities.
“It is not acceptable. Agriculture sector will cease to exist after the implementation of the anti-farmer laws,” he said. POKSSS will organise meetings in villages across the region to sensitise farmers on the legislations. After taking farmers’ feedback, the body will launch a mass movement against the laws in the coming days, Pradhan said.
Farmers’ leader Saroj said the new farm laws will sabotage existing institutions including Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), FCI and State Mandi Board. He said since MSP is not a legal right in the new Acts, there is every possibility that the farmers will not get their dues in private mandis.
In contract farming, corporates may not abide by the agreement and reject FAQ or low quality of agriculture produce in the name of gradation. Since the majority of the farmers are small, marginal and share croppers, it will be tough for them to fight against the corporates when the agreements are violated.
Saroj said there is no such thing as essential commodities under the new acts.
Hence the businessmen will get ample scope for hoarding to create artificial scarcity of agriculture produce. He said agriculture and inter-state marketing are State subjects. Since the new farm Acts violate the federal structure, the Odisha Government should move the Supreme Court over the issue if it is really concerned about the welfare of farmers. Apart from Sambalpur, the farmers also staged dharnas in Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Deogarh, Balangir and Subarnapur districts.