Delta farmers in TN worried over procured paddy kept in open space at DPCs

TIRUCHY: Farmers from the Delta region are worried about the delayed shifting of procured paddy which would pave the way for either damage or germination as they are stocked in the open space in the Direct Procurement Centres (DPCs).

The farmers have also appealed to officials concerned to focus on shifting the paddy within a day.

According to the farmers, the government has been opening DPCs as per their request but without proper facilities. The same is the situation at DPCs in Tirupananthal, Tirumangalakudi, Sooriyanar Kovil, Manikudi and various other adjacent villages in and around Kumbakonam.

All these DPCs are functioning in the open air without proper facilities and this results in around 30,000 paddy bags being kept in the open spaces which are feared to be damaged due to the uncertain weather conditions.

“These paddy bags might withstand one day in the open air DPCs but unfortunately, they are hoarded for several weeks which would either damage or germinate. We have been appealing to the government to shift the procured paddy to the hub DPC within a day but our appeals go unheard year by year,” laments Swamimalai Sundara Vimalanathan, Secretary, Tamil Nadu Cauvery Farmers Protection Association.

He said that there has been uncertain rainfall across the Delta region in the past few days and still, we are worried that the rains might continue. At this juncture, stocking the procured paddy in the open air would certainly damage them as most of the makeshift DPCs are functioning in a low-lying area.

Vimalnathan claimed that the delay in shifting the procured paddy from the DPCs was due to the lethargic attitude of the DPC staff.

“There is a nexus between the DPC staff and the lorry drivers. The more bribes you give; the fast shifting is done by the lorry driver. Most of the time, the lorry drivers divert their trip from one DPC to the other favourite DPCs. We are not in a position to question them as most of the vehicles are operated by persons with strong political backgrounds,” he said. He appealed to the State government to make a pact between the DPCs and vehicle operators to shift the procured paddy to the respective hubs within a day.

“We have been demanding the government to issue an order in this regard and proper monitoring by officials,” he added.