BHAWANIPATNA: Farmers from three blocks of Kalahandi district on Friday staged a blockade on NH-26 at Koksara alleging irregularities in the registration process for the upcoming rabi paddy procurement in the district.
The agitators claimed thousands of farmers from Koksara, Jaipatna and Dharamgarh who are dependent on the mega lift irrigation system of Indravati project, have been left out of the registration process. Rabi paddy has been cultivated in 18,885 hectares in the three blocks.
“In the current rabi season, 56,639 farmers of the district have registered themselves for paddy procurement. However, cultivators in ayacut areas of Indravati lift irrigation system have been left out on the ground that rabi irrigation in mega lift irrigation projects is meant for non-paddy crops. Names of around 15,000 farmers are missing from the registration list,” they alleged.
President of Indravati Mega Lift Krushak Sangathan Puruswatam Gupta said the protest would be intensified if the administration fails to include the left-out farmers before the start of rabi paddy procurement which is set to commence from May 20.
Due to the blockade, vehicular movement between Bhawanipatna and Jeypore came to a standstill as farmers picketed on the highway. Later in the day, administrative officials along with police rushed to the protest site and held discussion with the agitators.
The blockade was lifted at around 4 pm after the administration assured the farmers of looking into their demand.
Kalahandi collector Sachin Pawar said the state government has been apprised of the demand of the left-out farmers. Necessary steps would be taken taken after receiving instructions from the government in this regard.
Among others, Junagarh MLA Dibya Shankar Mishra and former minister and senior BJD leader Puspendra Singhdeo joined the farmers in the protest.
