Only 15% wheat procured in Palwal

Bijendra Ahlawat
Tribune News Service
Palwal, April 21

Poor lifting of wheat has adversely affected the procurement process in local markets as only 15 per cent of it has been lifted or removed from the mandis so far. The procurement had started from April 10.

“Inclement weather threatens to damage the wheat lying in the open or in gunny bags at nearly all mandis, including those in Palwal, Hodal, Hassanpur and Hathin,” sources in the Department of Food and Civil Supplies said. While a total of 40.7-lakh quintal of wheat has been procured so far in various mandis of the district, the agencies given the contract have lifted only 15 to 17 per cent of it so far, thus making the wheat vulnerable to rains that tend to hit the region in the season. Only 1.46 quintal of wheat of the total procured wheat of 9.24-lakh quintal had been lifted till Friday.

“The rainfall that lashed parts of the district last week has not only delayed the harvesting of the crop but also increased the moisture level in the wheat already harvested,” said Sunil Bisla, a farmer.

Alleging that the authorities concerned were busy in election process and had failed to take up special girdawari (survey) of damaged crops in Palwal district, MLA Karan Dalal said the wheat crop had got flattened in hundreds of acres, resulting in losses to growers. He demanded a compensation of Rs40,000 per acre.

Uday Bhan, MLA from Hodal, blamed negligence on the part of the authorities for the poor procurement and lifting. “The situation was the same last year and has failed to improve,” he said.

Official inspects Gohana grain market

Sonepat: Anurag Rastogi, Principal Secretary to Irrigation and Water Resources Department of Haryana, visited the grain market at Gohana on Sunday to inspect the wheat procurement process, including lifting of the purchased stock.

• During interaction with the commission agents, the representatives of the purchasing agencies and farmers’ organisations, he was apprised about the shortage of space in the grain market and more moisture in wheat and slow lifting of the purchased stock.
• Rastogi said there was no land available around this market for expansion. However, the process to open a new grain market at Gohana was under process. 
• He asked the procurement agencies to ensure early lifting of purchased stock as the daily arrival in the market had reached up to 1.50 lakh quintal and it was likely to increase.
• DC Dr Shaleen said the Principal Secretary would carry out inspection at Sonepat and Gannaur grain markets on Monday.