Punjab: Dhuri farmers upset due to delay in harvesting paddy

Punjab: Farmers of Dhuri are upset that their MLA-cum-Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has not yet visited any grain market in the assembly constituency. On October 3, the CM had visited his native village Satauj in Sangrur, where he interacted with locals. Dhuri Arhatiya Association Pradhan Jagtar Singh Samra said that neither the CM nor any other minister has visited the grain markets of Dhuri. He said that on October 8, Sangrur Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Rishi had visited the mandi. Even no minister has visited the grain markets of Sangrur, Didba and Dhuri. Didba is the assembly constituency of Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema.

Cabinet Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal, who is MLA from Lehra, had visited the grain market 10 days ago, while Cabinet Minister Aman Arora, who is MLA from Sunam, had visited the Sunam mandi two weeks ago. Farmers of Dhuri Mandi termed the slow pace of paddy procurement and lifting as a big “failure” of the state government. They claimed that the AAP government has not taken the requisite steps to make adequate arrangements. Jaswinder Singh of Benra village said that he has been sitting at the Dhuri grain market since October 23 and no procurement agency has yet purchased his paddy. Satgur Singh of Padhni village said that his 150 quintals of paddy, which he had unloaded at the Dhuri Mandi on October 23, has not been purchased till date. Blaming the Centre for their troubles, Malkit Singh and Sarwan Singh said that they have been waiting for the procurement of their produce since October 23 and October 24 respectively. Most of the farmers claimed that the concerned authorities are not procuring paddy citing excess moisture.