50k paddy bags at DPCs across delta damaged; farmers seek swift action
Shortage of gunny bags, transportation delays and lack of basic facilities at DPCs attributed to slow procurement process
TIRUCHY: With around 50,000 bags of paddy harvested during the summer crop season stacked in front of the Direct Procurement Centres (DPCs) across the delta region, damaged and several of them sprouted following incessant rains, farmers demanded a permanent solution, including enhanced agricultural resilience, on Monday.
The summer crop harvest is in full swing in Kumbakonam and Tiruvidaimarudhur, and the harvested paddy has been stored in DPCs by the farmers.
Owing to various reasons ranging from the shortage of gunny bags to transportation issues, paddy bags were amassed in front of DPCs. The procurement centre officials attribute the delay in procurement to a shortage of gunny bags. In addition, the transportation of procured paddy has been affected due to the ongoing wage negotiations. Thus, large quantities of paddy have piled up.
This has resulted in the accumulation of paddy in every DPC in Thanjavur, particularly in Kumbakonam and Tiruvidaimarudur, and the farmers claimed that around 50,000 bags of paddy had been stacked in both regions.
In such a backdrop, the delta region received moderate to heavy rainfall for the past few days, resulting in waterlogging in front of the DPCs at Tirunageswaram, Maruthuvakudi, Neikuppai, and the adjacent areas. The stocked paddy had started to sprout, causing distress to farmers who attributed the lethargic attitude of the officials to the damage.
The aggrieved farmers, on Monday, staged a protest at Maruthuvakudi and demanded compensation. The protesting farmers also demanded measures to enhance soil moisture retention. “The apathetic attitude of officials and the high prevalence of bribery in DPCs have resulted in damage to a large quantity of paddy. The Food Corporation of India officials should immediately visit the spot and find a permanent solution to this persisting problem,” Swamimalai Sundara Vimalnathan, the secretary of Tamil Nadu Cauvery Farmers Protection Association, who led the protest, said.
He urged the government to pass an order to increase paddy procurement by 23 per cent. “Every single time, we need to fight to ensure that the government takes measures to enhance soil moisture retention. IMD has predicted heavy rain this time. The predictions never fail, and the government should release an official order to resolve this issue,” he said.
Meanwhile, the DPC staff claimed that the DPCs are established in the unfit areas due to political pressure. The paddy bags are stocked outside the DPCs as most of the centres lack basic infrastructure, and the officials are least bothered about the same, they said.
