KENDRAPARA: The death of a 53-year-old farmer due to alleged harassment during paddy procurement snowballed into a major political issue in Kendrapara district on Friday with the opposition BJD accusing the state government of failing to protect the interests of cultivators.
A BJD delegation led by Rajnagar MLA Dhruba Sahoo met the family members of Trilochan Nayak, the deceased farmer, at Junagadi village and assured that the issue will be raised in the state Assembly.
Sahoo claimed the government is trying to mislead people regarding the cause of Nayak’s death. “The BJP government is anti-farmer. It has failed miserably to protect the interests of farmers,” he alleged.
The MLA said the authorities concerned should take corrective measures and purchase paddy from all the registered farmers. He demanded adequate compensation for Nayak’s family.
After reportedly spending three days in front of a rice mill trying to sell his paddy, Nayak suffered a heart attack and died on Wednesday night. The BJD leader said the secretary of Dangamala agricultural cooperative society on Thursday claimed that the farmer was not told to carry his produce to the rice mill.
But the claim is false as the rice mill reportedly gave a hand receipt to Nayak mentioning that the farmer took 51.20 quintal of paddy to the mill.
President of the district unit of Krushak Sabha Umesh Chandra Singh said the delay in procurement of paddy in Kendrapara is causing significant financial distress for farmers. Besides, many farmers are forced to sell paddy at distress prices due to long distance from villages to primary agriculture cooperative societies.
Additional district magistrate (ADM) of Kendrapara Nabakrishna Jena said the administration has directed the civil supplies officer and Rajnagar tehsildar to submit a report on the reason behind the death of the farmer. “Proper action will be taken after receiving the report,” he added.