Malkangiri: Hundreds of farmers of Jharapalli and Pedakonda panchayats in Malkangiri district staged a blockade at Sindrimal on Malkangiri-Jeypore road Sunday alleging mismanagement in procuring paddy at mandis.
Thousands of quintals of paddy are lying at mandis in large area multi-purpose cooperative societies (LAMPS) in district headquarters for the last two weeks. However, due to alleged neglect of the administration and an unholy nexus between middlemen and government officials, paddy is not being sold in time.
The irate farmers alleged that they were asked by LAMPS authorities that they would be given tokens for paddy sale, following which they transported their produce to the mandis, but they are yet to get the tokens.
On the other hand, cattle are feasting on the grains and damaging the paddy bags, following which the farmers had to guard their harvest by spending sleepless nights at the mandis.
Some farmers like Sasharathi Padiami, Rama Madi, Arjun Banjami, Mangudu Padiami, Buti Madkami, Baja Madakmi and Bhagaban Padiami alleged that the LAMPS authorities are also not providing gunny bags to pack the paddy.
They are also not giving receipts to the farmers after buying their paddy at the time of purchase and deducting 5 to 10 kg of paddy per quintal, claiming that the grains were damaged.
On the other hand, the district administration is claiming that the purchase is being made within 24 hours and the money credited to respective farmers’ bank accounts within three days. But the truth is different in interior areas, the farmers alleged.
Malkangiri MLA Manas Madkami had inaugurated a paddy mandi at Korukunda November 25. During the inauguration, Madkami had said that there would be no problem for the farmers at the mandi this year. All facilities, including accommodation for farmers at mandi and purchase of all paddy stock would be arranged by the district administration. But nothing has been done for the smooth functioning of the mandi.
District civil supply officer, Abhimanyu Behera, Malkangiri IIC Soumendra Sekhar Tripathy and other officials of the supply department reached the spot and held a discussion with the angry farmers. The road blockade was lifted after the government officials assured paddy purchase and deposit of the amount in respective bank accounts within 24 hours.
PNN