Paddy procurement delayed by 20 days: Madurai farmers
Farmers in Chellampatti complained of a 20-day delay in paddy procurement due to incorrect harvest data and adangal issues. At a grievance meeting, they sought timely opening of procurement centres. Concerns were also raised over illegal stone quarries, sand mining, and closure of Alanganallur sugar mill. Officials assured action based on surveys and promised to address the farmers’ demands.
MADURAI: Chellampatti farmers on Friday complained that paddy procurement in their area has been delayed by 20 days, allegedly due to inaccurate information — released by the agriculture department — on paddy harvest and a delay in the issuance of adangals. During a farmers’ grievance redressal meeting, they also urged the district administration to ensure the timely opening of direct procurement centres in Madurai.
While speaking to TNIE, Manavala Kannan, a farmer, allegedly blamed the officials from the agriculture department and the local village administrative officer (VAO) for the delay in paddy procurement in Chellampatti. However, Collector M S Sangeetha said that the DPCs in Madurai are being opened properly based on harvest reports.
Later during the meeting, C Palanisamy, a farmers’ representative, citing the closure of a cooperative sugarcane mill in Alanganallur, claimed, “Private mills are gradually registering farmers, who were earlier under the cooperative mill, under their names. It can significantly affect the cooperative sugar mill. Urging the state government to take action, we are going to meet the chief minister on June 28, seeking action to reopen the Alanganallur cooperative mill.”
Also during the meeting, S Mani, a farmer from Kottampatti, urged the district administration to take action to prevent the operation of illegal stone quarries and crusher units in Kottampatti. In a response, the collector said that action would be taken based on the reports of a drone survey, recently carried out by the mines department in Kottampatti and Vadipatti areas, adding that officials are inspecting the quarries in the district.
Further, the farmers demanded that the Water Resources Department take steps to prevent excessive mining of savudu sand from waterbodies, which could affect the flow. The officials concerned assured the farmers of action.
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Source : The New Indian Express
