BARGARH: Intensifying their protest over delay in disbursal of crop loss claims, hundreds of farmers locked the office of the chief district agriculture officer (CDAO) of Bargarh on Wednesday.
The agitating farmers under the aegis of Sanjukta Krushak Sangathan, also staged dharna outside the CDAO office demanding quick disbursal of insurance money for crop damage due to cyclone Michuang-induced rains in December last year.
In the morning, the farmers reached the CDAO office and requested the staff to vacate the premises. Subsequently, they locked the main gate before staging demonstration outside. The farmers also threatened to stage similar protest every day from 10 am to 4 pm until their demand is fulfilled.
Convenor of the outfit Ramesh Mahapatra said farmers should have received the insurance amount within 15 days after the crop loss assessment. However, the insurance company is unwilling to pay the claims even after nearly four months.
“The district administration too is giving us false hopes. We waited patiently as the administration had given us a time period. As the district officials failed to keep their promise, we were forced to resort to such protest.” The farmers alleged that as per the field verification report submitted to the government, paddy crops over 41,000 hectare of land suffered damage during Michuang. However, the insurance company has disbursed claims for crop damage over 400 hectare so far.
Bargarh CDAO Amiya Sahu said since over 60,000 applications were received for crop loss claims and physical application would have taken a long time, the insurance company had sought permission for drone verification. “The verification and loss assessment has been completed. We are doing the needful and the insurance amount will be disbursed soon,” he added.
Earlier on February 27, around 10,000 farmers from different blocks of Bargarh took out a massive rally and staged protest outside the district collector’s office over the demand. Subsequently on March 1, the farmers held a discussion with the district administration and were reportedly assured that the amount will be disbursed within next 10 days.