BALASORE: Alleging inordinate delay in paddy procurement in the district, farmers of Nilagiri blocked Sergarh-Udala state highway-19 at Kalikad village as a mark of protest on Friday.
Traffic on both sides of the route remained disrupted from 7 am to 1 pm as hundreds of irate farmers placed paddy bags on the road and staged a sit-in demanding immediate provision of tokens and start of paddy procurement.
The agitators said the district administration had decided to procure paddy from farmers from December 29. Though 12 days have passed, the procurement drive is yet to start. They alleged that tokens are yet to be issued to many farmers despite repeated requests to the officers concerned.
“We had hoped to sell our produce at the earliest and use the money to repay loans and purchase essentials for the upcoming Makar Sankranti festival. The delay in paddy procurement has dashed all our hopes, “ said the farmers.
As hundreds of vehicles were stranded on the highway due to the protest, Nilagiri police rushed to the spot and held talks with the agitators to diffuse the situation. However, the farmers refused to relent and continued the blockade.
Later, assistant registrar of cooperative societies Bishnumohan Mallik reached the spot and held discussion with the farmers. The protest was called off after Mallik assured the agitators that paddy procurement would commence from Saturday at the designated mandis.