Admn sets up check posts to stop paddy from UP, Himachal

Shiv Kumar Sharma

Tribune News Service

Yamunanagar, November 3

The local administration has set up checkpoints at four places to stop transportation of paddy crop from Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh to the grain markets of Yamunanagar district.

Besides, gate passes are also being issued to farmers at every grain market of the district after checking of their identity proof. The passes are being issued by secretaries of the market committee to maintain a record of farmers and their produce.

Sources said the administration had set up check posts on October 28 at Kalanaur, Gumthala and Hathnikund villages to stop paddy arrival from Uttar Pradesh and at Ranjitpur village to stop supply from Himachal Pradesh.

The administration took the step after it got complaints from local farmers that farmers of Uttar Pradesh (and some from Himachal Pradesh) were supplying paddy crop in the grain markets of Yamunanagar district.

Yamunanagar is situated on the border of Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh and farmers of these states prefer to supply paddy and other crops in the grain markets of the district as the procurement system is not that efficient in these states.

Farmers said the arrival of paddy from other states caused a number of problems for them. “The arrival from other states causes a problem of space for local farmers. We also have to wait for long for our turn to sell the produce,” a farmer said.

Surender Kumar, controller, District Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Yamunanagar, said police personnel along with staff members of their department had been posted on the check posts.

“Employees of our department and policemen are doing round-the-clock duty on the check posts to ensure that no paddy arrives in the grain markets of Yamunanagar district form UP and HP,” he said.