DPC workers threaten woman farmer in Nemili

RANIPET: Contrary to complaints of underweighting of paddy and collection of exorbitant amounts at Direct Purchase Centres (DPCs) which are usually brushed aside by officials and the minister concerned, a woman farmer has complained to the Ranipet Collector that not only was her paddy underweighed by 3 tonnes, she was also threatened by DPC workers at her house for not paying the exorbitant amount they demanded, sources revealed.

G Manjula of Ayyampettai in Nemili taluk registered online to offload her paddy at the Kilveeranam DPC Sooraikulampudur village panchayat. Though she was to offload paddy on May 24, DPC officials asked her to come on May 21 due to a lack of arrivals. When she offloaded 260 bags of paddy each weighing 75 kilos totaling 19.5 tonnes, it became 16.12 tonnes after DPC workers converted them into 40 kg bags resulting in shortage of 3.38 tonnes.

When Manjula approached officials, they told her to pick up the chaff and spilled paddy, which workers refused to give her. In addition, they also demanded a total of Rs 28,100 as fees for unloading her paddy at the rate of Rs70 per bag. Manjula refused to pay and left.

It was also learnt that DPC workers led by a man identified as Kumar, came to her house and demanded the payment and threatened them with dire consequences if they failed to pay up.

Collector Baskara Pandian when asked said, “I will enquire into the issue and initiate action against those responsible.”

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