Palledars, transporters meet admn officials over pending payments

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, October 3

For better lifting and proper arrangements, the district administration today organised a meeting with palledars (porters) and transporters of the grain market. During the meeting, palledars warned the district administration that if their old pending bills were not cleared and if they were not given unloading wages, they would be left with no option but to stop the work.

Bathinda Deputy Commissioner Diprava Lakra attended the meeting with palledars, transporters and other officials.

During the meeting, sheller owners and transporters asked for clearance of their pending bills towards purchase agencies.

Depu Shiv Lal, local president of the Punjab Pardesh Palledars’ Union, Bathinda, said he had a contract and after June 1, he had not received any payment of loading, which is close to Rs 1.25 crore.

Shiv Lal said he had a contract of unloading in sheller and according to the new milling policy work of unloading had been given to sheller owners and due to this they would also be left with no option but to stop work.

DC Diprava Lakra told palledars that he would contact Chandigarh for the clearance of bills and he would also contact the director for revision of the milling policy.

During the meeting, a question was also raised that according to the policy, aarhtiyas would do the work of loading and sheller owners responsible for unloading, but officials were saying that work of unloading would be done by contractors of purchase agencies and administration would have to clear this.

District president of the Rice Millers’ Association Purshotam Garg and local president Narayan Garg told to officials that this year quantity of paddy would be decreased, but lifting had been going with the increase of 10 per cent in sheller and due to this they will face lose.

They also demanded that administration should arrange paddy from outer districts to complete the loos to 10 per cent.

During the meeting DC Lakra told to officials that make sure about the government parameters of moisture. During the meeting, SDM Sakshi Sawney, ADC Shena Aggarwal and District Food Controller Amarjeet Singh were also present.