Farmers hit as procurement centres remain closed

While the farmers are in their peak harvest season, they had reportedly alleged irregularities by the DPC employees. According to a petition filed by the farmers, the DCP demanded 2 kgs of additional paddy with every 40 kg bag, stating that the excess 2 kgs was to make up for the weight of the gunny bag.

S Ramdoss, Nagapattinam district president of Tamil Nadu Farmers Association said, “The paddy is sold for anywhere between Rs 16.60 to Rs 16 per kg based on the variety. The DPC workers collect Rs 2 per kg and claim that it is their ‘wage’. Thus the farmers who spend upto Rs 30,000 per acre get minimal profits.”

Following such allegations, special inspection squads had conducted inspections at the DCPs and the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation also suspended a few DPC employees in Thanjavur, where many complaints were filed.

On February 26 four employees were suspended in Thanjavur. On February 28 special teams from the head-quarters and regional office, Thanjavur conducted surprise inspections at the centres. 

At Alivalam DPC in Thanjavur, irregularities were found. Based on the inspection the procurement officer Arockiya Thamburaj, bill clerk V Murugaiyan, who were on duty at the centre were suspended. Similarly at Chellappanpettai bill clerk Balakrishnan and watchman Prakash were suspended.

After the suspension, the employees have closed all the DPCs in the district and demanded an explanation for their suspension. This move by the DCP employees had hit the farmers as the centres did not procure paddy from the farmers and the already procured paddy was left to rot.

Further, the members of Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) workers’ union staged a protest in front of the office of Senior Regional manager of TNCSC in Thanjavur on March 1. Most of the workers from DPCs participated in the protest.

During the stir, protesters pointed out that there was no explanation given for suspending the workers from DPC. They further alleged that a few higher officials demanded a commission from each of the DPCs and the centres that refused to part with the money were being targeted and suspended. 

Meanwhile, the employees of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam DPCs, who convened a meeting on Sunday, planned to organise a state-wide protest and sought for support of the employees of DPCs from other districts too.