Sambalpur: As many as 11 farmers have lodged a complaint in the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) over non-payment of Rs 11 lakh dues towards paddy procurement in kharif season at Uchhkapata mandi under Bamra block in this district, Monday.
The farmers have alleged that they are yet to receive their payment towards sale of paddy at the procurement centre in last kharif season.
A farmer leader Joga Bihari Parida, convener of a farmers’ outfit Jay Kishan Adima Krushak Sangathan has filed the petition on behalf of the farmers in the national rights body.
According to the petition, the Food Supply and Consumer Welfare department procured paddy from the farmers of Ucchkapata area through a women’s self-help group in the mandi during the last kharif season.
Parida alleged that it has been over a year but 11 farmers are yet to be paid Rs 11,94,287 lakh towards payment for 639.34 quintals of paddy procured from them in the mandi.
The concerned farmers have repeatedly lodged complaints with the local administration and the district food and civil supplies department but their pleas are yet to be addressed, he said.
The farmers have sold their paddy to the food and civil supplies department through an SHG and have valid documents in possession. The food and civil supplies department is required to clear the dues of the farmers through the concerned agency, he said.
However, neither the food and civil supplies department nor the district administration is lending a sympathetic ear to the pleadings of the farmers, he said.
As a result, the farmers are finding it hard to manage their families and carry out cultivation works due to lack of money.
The farmer leader and the victim farmers have demanded immediate payback of their outstanding dues and action against the concerned agency and the concerned officials for harassment of the farmers.
PNN