Alleging ‘poor’ procurement, farmers hold 5 Sangrur admn officials hostage

SANGRUR : The activists of BKU (Ugrahan) on Saturday held hostage five senior officials of the administration for not holding auction of paddy above 17 per cent moisture content, at Ghabdan village grain market here on Saturday.

They alleged that farmers are being harassed at grain markets name of excess moisture content, above 17 per cent, in paddy. Seeking increase in the limit of moisture content in paddy from 17% to 21%, senior vicepresident of BKU Ugrahan Manjit Singh Gharachon, said, “The administration and rice millers are hand in glove. The government wants to benefit millers while farmers are being harassed and facing loss. We will fight against government’s anti-farmer policies.”

Later in the evening, the protesters freed the administration officials after being assured of smooth procurement by Sangur sub divisional magistrate (SDM) Babandeep Singh.CM takes stock of paddy procurement, stubble burning in Gurdaspur.

CM TAKES STOCK OF PROCUREMENT IN GURDASPUR

Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday directed Gurdaspur deputy commissioner and officials of different procurement agencies to ensure timely lifting of grains and timely payment to farmers.

He appealed to farmers not to engage in stubble burning in the interest of the environment.

The CM, while reviewing procurement arrangements and stubble burning cases at a meeting at Tibri Cantonment, asked officials to provide all requisite amenities to farmers in mandis.

He also called upon farmers to take maximum advantage of the Punjab Government’s scheme under which happy seeders, rotavators and mulchers had been provided on subsidy, for which they could consult agriculture experts in their respective areas. He also lauded the initiatives being taken by the district administration to curb the menace of stubble burning in the district..