Delay in setting up direct procurement centre

Farmers heap harvested paddy in front of union office

TIRUNELVELI

Condemning the delay in establishing a direct procurement centres in Manur for buying the paddy harvested in Manur and the surrounding areas, the farmers heaped the harvested paddy in front of the Manur panchayat union office on Friday.

 As the setting up of paddy direct procurement centre at Manur, where the farmers had cultivated paddy on over 1,200 hectares after the sprawling Manur Periyakulam overflowed in November last, got delayed, the frustrated farmers heaped harvested paddy in front of the Manur panchayat union office on Friday.

 “Farmers had enthusiastically cultivated paddy on over 1,200 hectare in Mavadi, Manur, Madhavakurichi and Kanarpatti panchayats after the Manur Periyakulam overflowed, thanks to the bountiful rainfall during last northeast monsoon. However, the officials failed to open a direct procurement centre at Manur that irked the agriculturists who have heaped the paddy in front of the panchayat union office today,” said farmer Selwyn Durai of Manur.

 Councilor of ward 12 of Manur panchayat union S. Chinnadurai of DMK said the delay on the part of the officials in setting up the direct procurement centre at Manur was the reason behind this protest.

 “When the harvest was about to be started, we submitted petitions to the officials concerned seeking the establishment of the direct procurement centre at Manur. As the official promised us that the paddy procurement would commence from Friday (March 11) onwards as the center would be set up by Thursday evening. When the farmers, believing the words of the officials, brought the harvested paddy, none was there to procure it. Agitated over this, they heaped the paddy in front of the panchayat union office,” said Mr. Chinnadurai.

 However, the farmers were not prepared to answer what prevented them from selling their paddy in the nearby direct procurement centres at Azhagiyapandiapuram, Thenkalam, Pallamadai and Kalakkudi, all situated about 5 to 10 Km from Manur. Though the Department of Agriculture has set up the DPCs in these places, the farmers do not take the harvested paddy to these centers saying that they wanted to have a new direct procurement centre exclusively for Manur.