CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has directed the Collector of Deogarh district to consider the case of alleged non-payment of paddy price to farmers of Barkote block against the purchase of their crop four months ago.
The HC decision came on a plea for court intervention filed by Rajesh Kumar Patra and four other farmers for payment of paddy price to farmers against purchase of their crops from Kantapalli cooperative society on March 29 and 30.
On the two days, 1,576.66 quintal of paddy was procured from 42 farmers. Although the poor farmers had sold their produce as per the State Government’s paddy procurement guideline, they have not yet received their money of `28,61,637 from the authority, the petitioners alleged.
The farmers had also submitted representations before various authorities including the Collector on April 29. But the representations are still pending. The petitioners sought direction to the authorities to release their money at an early date.
Taking into consideration the submissions of the petitioner counsel and the additional standing counsel for the Government during hearing through video conferencing, the Single Judge Bench of Justice KR Mohapatra directed the Collector to dispose of the representation of the petitioners within six weeks.