SAMBALPUR: Amid growing resentment over irregularities in token generation during the ongoing kharif paddy procurement, farmers of Sambalpur on Monday announced to observe a district-wide bandh on December 19.
The farmers under the banner of Paschim Odisha Krushak Sangathan Samanwaya Samiti (POKSSS) alleged that lapses in token generation have left paddy-laden vehicles stranded for days near mandis, leading to quality deterioration and rising transport expenses. They accused the administration of being negligent and indifferent towards farmers’ mounting losses during the procurement season.
According to POKSSS, around 65,143 farmers have registered for procurement in Sambalpur this season. Of them, about 40,000 were issued only one token each, which is grossly inadequate to dispose of their harvested paddy. The rest of the farmers are yet to receive even one token.
Farmer leaders alleged that despite repeated memorandum and protests, authorities have failed to address the issue and instead resorted to detention and arrests to suppress dissent. “We will continue to stage symbolic protests across the district till December 19 and wait to see if the government takes any visible step. If no steps are taken, we will launch a massive protest by shutting down the district. However, we will not be blocking highways this time for the convenience of the public,” they said.
On December 12, farmers had launched coordinated protests across Sambalpur district at five locations, disrupting vehicular movement on the highways. The agitation continued till around 6 pm after which police arrested the agitating farmers from the protest sites. Following prolonged discussions and completion of formalities, the farmers were released after about one-and-a-half hour.
POKSSS convenor Ashok Pradhan claimed farmers across western Odisha have been denied second-phase procurement tokens. Never before has kharif procurement been dragged on at such a sluggish pace till mid-December. “We see this as a man-made crisis that can be resolved only if the government intervenes decisively and directs the administration,” he added.
Mean while, former minister and district BJD president Rohit Pujari announced that the opposition party would extend full support to the agitating farmers and actively participate in the Sambalpur bandh called on December 19. Terming the arrest of farmers as unfortunate, he said agitation had become inevitable due to the chaotic paddy procurement process, large-scale irregularities in token distribution and anti-farmer policies of the BJP-led government.