CUTTACK: Amid widespread complaints over mismanagement of paddy procurement operations which has caused severe problems for the farmers across districts, the Orissa High Court has directed the state government to file an affidavit on the issue.
The direction was issued by a two judge bench of Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice MS Raman while hearing a PIL filed by Surendra Panigrahi, president of Berhampur-based Bharatiya Bikash Parishad, alleging illegal practices by paddy procurement agencies and officials across several districts of the state. State counsel Biswabara Dash sought permission for the government to file affidavit disclosing all the steps that have been taken in this regard. Taking note of it, the bench called for the affidavit to be filed within a week and issued notice to the managing director of Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation.
The bench observed, “We also feel that the presence of the petitioner before the Court is also necessary and, therefore, the petitioner is directed to remain personally present on the next date.” The matter has been fixed for next hearing on April 29. Advocate Gopal Prasad Jena appeared on behalf of the petitioner.
According to the petition, despite the government notifying mandis and issuing tokens to farmers specifying date, time and quantity for procurement, farmers are being allegedly compelled to transport paddy directly to private millers. In districts like Ganjam, Gajapati and Rayagada, millers are located far from villages, in some cases up to 50 km away, forcing farmers to incur heavy transportation costs.
The petition sought direction to the authorities to make declared mandis operational, ensure procurement strictly as per tokens and MSP without deductions, use proper weighing machines, and reimburse transportation and jute bag costs to farmers.
While the government bears the cost of jute bags and transportation, farmers are neither being provided free gunny bags nor reimbursed the transport expenses, the petition alleged, claiming collusion between millers and officials to allow procurement from the open market at lower rates.
Farmers are being denied the benefit of the MSP fixed by the government, the petition further alleged.