Odisha: Farmers gherao Sohela tehsil office seeking free electricity
BARGARH: Farmers of Sohela block on Friday gheraoed the local tehsil office over various demands including the provision of free electricity.
In the morning, a large number of farmers under the banner of Jay Kisan Andolan took out a rally from Thana chowk and moved around Sohela town before reaching the tehsil office where they held a protest meeting under the chairmanship of block chairperson Surendra Meher.
The farmers also submitted a memorandum addressed to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, to Sohela tehsildar Subharanjan Nayak.
In the memorandum, the agitators strongly opposed the privatisation of power sector and demanded complete waiver of electricity bills for agricultural purposes. They also demanded 300 units of free electricity to each family.
The farmers further said mill owners should be prevented from intervening in the paddy procurement process. They should also not force farmers to use nano fertilisers.
“Though the new BJP government in the state kept its promise by providing input subsidy of Rs 800, it failed to put an end on the practice of deduction of paddy and exploitation of farmers by rice mill owners and middlemen. The use of grain analyser machine during paddy procurement is also abetting the exploitation of farmers,” they alleged.
This apart, farmers are being forced to use nano fertilisers against their will. If the government fails to pay heed to these concerns, protest will be intensified in the coming days, they threatened.
Accusing Tata Power of oppressive practices, general secretary of Jay Kisan Andolan, Hara Bania said the discom has been exploiting farmers since the previous BJD government was in power. “We expected a change after the new government came into power. But the harassment of farmers has only worsened. We are being burdened with inflated electricity bills. If farmers fail to pay on time, their power supply is being disconnected,” he claimed.
Bania said if electricity of any farmer is disconnected during the cropping season, it will lead to an ugly situation.
On February 21, Jay Kisan Andolan had held a similar protest outside the tehsil office at Bhatli. The outfit has planned to stage protest in other blocks of the district if their problems are not resolved soon.