A farmer’s death at the Mundraguda Mandi in Kalahandi district has reached the Rashtrapati Bhavan. On a prayer by the convener of the Western Odisha Farmers’ Union, the Rashtrapati Bhavan has intervened in the issue and instructed the Chief Secretary to report about the matter as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission has registered a case in this connection and inquiry is on. Nabi Durga (70), a farmer of Dangarpada in Rajpur panchayat under Junagarh block in Kalahandi district, died due to exhaustion on July 7 at the mandi. The incident spread shockwaves in the area.
After cognisance of the matter was taken by the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the State Joint Director of Agriculture paid a visit to the deceased’s family on August 31 last and inquired about their condition. On September 1, Junagarh BDO visited the wife of late Nabi Durga and provided her widow pension, besides financial help of Rs 10,000 from Red Cross. Meanwhile, Dharamgarh Sub-Collector and SDPO have visited the spot and submitted their probe report to the Government, sources said.
Had the administration been as active as it has become now and had it facilitated sale of his paddy at the mandi, he would not have died, observers say. After receiving a token from the PACS authorities to sell 20 quintals of paddy, Durga had been to Mundraguda mandi with his 19 packets of paddy on July 1. However, his stocks were not sold even after waiting in queue for a week at the mandi, which rendered him sick and he apparently died due to exhaustion. After his death, the PACS authorities hurriedly weighed his paddy and tried to suppress the matter.
At the mandi here though paddy is purchased from farmers by the PACS authorities, they are always dependent on the millers tagged to them due to lack of infrastructure like labourers, gunny pags, shortage capacity etc. As the millers always want profit, they willfully delay in paddy lifting from the mandi. If paddy lifting is delayed, farmers will be harassed and will ultimately sell their paddy under rate which can be managed by the PACS and RMC staff. The Civil Supplies Department is monitoring the mandis, but due to lack of supervision such incidents recur, say observers.