Gate passes not issued, paddy growers protest

Karnal, November 9

Infuriated over the non-issuance of gate passes, scores of paddy growers on Tuesday protested outside the Karnal grain market.

The farmers alleged that they had been queueing up outside the market gate for the past couple of days, but were not being given gate passes to take their paddy produce inside the grain market. Due to the protest, the commuters had to face inconvenience and traffic movement was affected on the service lane of the NH-44.

Rajpal, a farmer, said he along with other farmers had been waiting to sell their produce after Diwali as they had not been issued gate passes. “We have already registered on the “Meri Fasal, Mera Bayora” portal, still we are not allowed to sell our produce,” said Rajesh, another farmer.

As per the sources, the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board (HSAMB) has stopped issuing gate passes following the reports that farmers from UP were coming to sell their produce in the state’s grain markets.

One of the officials of the HSAMB said the produce coming to the mandi would be procured only after the verification of the registration of the farmers. — TNS