The Chandahandi-Umarkote main road was blocked on Saturday due to unrest in four paddy procurement mandis in Chandahandi block of Nabarangpur district.
Hundreds of farmers, led by RMC director and Congress leader Khemaraj Bagh, blocked the road with bags of paddy on the road. It is to be noted that, even though farmers have been keeping paddy in the mandi for about a month, it is alleged that the paddy of selective farmers is procured due to a nexus.
It is also alleged that the paddy of hundreds of farmers is rejected for various reasons or underrated below MSP. Despite repeated complaints, no action has been taken so far and finding no way out the farmers blocked the State highway, said Bagh.
Even after testing the standards and handing them over to the mandi, the millers are still picking up the paddy at their sweet will. The roadblocks will not be lifted until the situation in the mandi is resolved, the protesters said.
Hundreds of farmers, including Humeshwar Hans, Rasik Nag, Pitambar Nayak, Jaydev Nial, Sadananda Kand, Bhuvan Suna, Pitambar Jhankar, Dhansingh Jhankar, Amaru Nayak, and others participated in the road blockade.