Bhadrak/Padmapur: Hundreds of farmers opposed paddy procurement by an SHG at Berhampur Cooperative Society in Bhadrak Tuesday.
Farmers of Kedarpur, Berhampur and Bentala panchayats carried their paddy in trucks and tractors to the cooperative society and parked the vehicles on a road in protest against the decision to hand over paddy procurement to the SHG.
According to the report, the district administration has authorized the SHG instead of the society to buy paddy from farmers.
Earlier, over 500 famers from the three panchayats had submitted complaints to the Collector, the district civil supplies officer, the cooperation minister and the SP for reconsideration of the decision December 17.
Some farmers had received messages in their mobile phones about paddy procurement December 18.
They were infuriated when they found in the website of the food supplies and consumer welfare department that an SHG has been asked to procure paddy. They staged a dharna outside the society Monday.
As the administration paid no heed to their concern, they descended on the road Tuesday. Hundred of buses, truck and other vehicles were stranded on the both sides of the Bhadrak-Chandbali and Bhadrak-Basudevpur roads.
As tension prevailed, police were deployed at the spot. On the other hand, 32 farmers came with their paddy to Sriram SHG in Erada panchayat Monday. Two millers had refused to receive paddy, citing poor quality. The farmers guarded their paddy amid chilly weather throughout the night.
PNN