Farmers accuse arhtiyas of fraud

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, April 20

Farmers here have accused commission agents of pocketing 110 gm wheat per bag by overweighing each empty bag of 30-kg capacity as 200 gm, which as per farmers weigh just about 90 gm.

Some farmers on Friday alleged that this illegal practice was going on at a number of purchase centres in the district. “We take our crop to the focal point at Panniwala village and a number of commission agents there are fleecing farmers. Each empty bag of 30 kg wheat capacity is being weighed as 200 gm. As a result farmers are facing loss of 110 gm after 30 kg wheat,” said Jasvir Singh, a farmer of Raniwala village.

Gurdev Singh, another farmer from Mohlan village, alleged, “Officials of the Mandi Board are having a nexus with commission agents, thus they are not taking any action against arhtiyas. With this loot, the farmers are facing a loss of Rs 5 per quintal.”

They further alleged that the packing of wheat in 30-kg bag, originally meant to be distributed under the Atta-Daal scheme, was also an illegal practice, but going on unabated.

“As per rules, the wheat has to be packed in gunny bags of 50-kg capacity. But commission agents just to save their time and money are getting the wheat packed in bags of 30-kg capacity,” they claimed.

Maninderjit Singh, district mandi officer, said: “We have not received any complaint of such malpractice by commission agents anywhere in the district. But if somewhere it is happening, we will send our team to check it and penalise the guilty.” He said wheat had to be packed in bags of 50-kg capacity.

Meanwhile, repeated attempts to contact Ajaypal Singh Brar, secretary, Market Committee, Malout, proved futile. On the other hand, some activists of the farmers' unions warned that if the administration failed to keep a check on duping of farmers, they would stage a protest.