BARGARH: Mounting frustration over sluggish paddy procurement triggered a protest by farmers in Attabira block where a group of farmers’ on Saturday locked the gate of the mandi office and dumped bags of their unsold harvest to restrict entry into the premises.
The agitators alleged that despite bringing their paddy to procurement centres for days, designated agencies have failed to lift the stock leading to an alarming build-up. The produce has been lying in the open unattended and is prone to damage due to unpredictable weather conditions in the region. No steps have been taken to address this situation, they said.
“The mandi opened on May 14 but we have been waiting ever since for our paddy to be lifted. This is nothing but a tactic by the rice millers to pressure us into accepting deductions of a few kilograms per bag. If the pending paddy stocks are not lifted soon, we will be forced to intensify our protest further,” said protesting farmer Arun Pradhan.
Bargarh sub-collector and chairperson of the regulated market committee (RMC) Prasanna Kumar Pandey rushed to the spot and held discussions with the protesters. Attabira MLA Nihar Ranjan Mahananda also reached the mandi and joined the tripartite discussion involving farmers and district officials. The administration assured farmers that procurement would be expedited, with procurement agencies carrying out lifting using seven trucks immediately to ease the congestion.
Pandey said the farmers have been assured that their paddy will be lifted before their tokens expire. The CSO office staff have already communicated with the tagged rice millers and directed them to clear the pending targets within the next two to three days, he said.
Following the discussion, protest was called off temporarily. However, farmers have warned that if delays continue or the promised lifting is not carried out promptly, they will resume their agitation and once again lock the mandi office.