Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 16: A large number of farmers from border belt of Kathua district held strong protest demonstration against the Food Corporation of India (FCI) authorities at Nagri-Parole town, bordering Punjab today.
Irate farmers closed the gate of the FCI Procurement Center, Nagri from out side and conducted `gherao’ of the officials. They raised slogans against them alleging exploitation of farmers community at the hands of FCI officials. They also alleged that State Agriculture Production department has failed to help the local farmers and provide proper `Mandi’.
The trouble started after the FCI officials associated with good grains procurement process at the Nagri-Parole today refused to lift the paddy of the farmers. A large number of farmers along with their tractor trolleys loaded with gunny bags of paddy had reached the procurement center. This process started about 4-5 days earlier and the FCI staff asked the farmers to go for cleaning their food-grains using scanner (Chhanana) earlier. Now, after farmers completed this process they denied lifting their paddy. The farmers were busy in collecting their paddy at the Center from their respective villages in last couple of days and the FCI men refused lifting it on the mere plea that there was some mix-stuff in the paddy.
Over this response, the farmers got agitated and started their protest. They were on protest dharna even late this evening. The FCI staff later sought police assistance. They were trying to control the situation. Over farmers alleged that it was just pressure tactics of the FCI men just to force the farmers to lower the rates. They sought intervention of Director Agriculture and senior FCI officers.
Chief Agriculture Officer Kathua, B S Sambyal when contacted said that this Centre was got opened for facilitating Kathua border belt farmers by the State Agriculture Department. He said over 1000 quintal paddy has been collected and many trolleys loaded with food grains were waiting outside. He said required level of moisture content was present in the paddy tested and in 100 odd grains, the presence of a few smaller size is negligible. He said the reason of denial seems to be unjustified and the matter has been taken up with the senior FCI officials.
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