Farmers from Indravati Megalift irrigation areas staged a massive protest in Bhawanipatna on Tuesday, besieging the district collector’s office over exclusion from paddy registration.
For the past 12 days, cultivators from Kokasara and Dharmagarh blocks have sat in dharna, demanding registration to sell their harvested paddy. With no resolution, thousands marched from Balaji temple in a grand procession led by Kokasara block vice-chairman Rajiv Agrawal and surrounded the collector’s office.
The farmers shouted slogans against the government, warning that the situation would turn serious if registration was not granted immediately. They demanded procurement of their paddy without delay.
The agitation was organised under the leadership of farmer leader Gobardhan Bag and coordinated by Digambar Duria. Several BJD leaders joined the protest, including Junagarh MLA Dibyashankar Mishra, Lanjigarh MLA Pradeep Dishari, former MLA Pushpendra Singh Deo, and district leaders Gobardhan Das, Dushmant Nayak, Aditya Nanda, Lalita Nayak, Durga Nayak, Pintu Tiwari, Sabita Padhan, Narla MLA Manorama Mahanti, Dharmendra Nayak, Badri Pattnayak, and Samanta Khamari.
The leaders accused the “double engine government” of neglecting farmers and failing to ensure fair procurement. Later, the agitators submitted a memorandum through the district collector, reiterating their demand for immediate registration and purchase of paddy.
