Bidding norms violated: Abohar cotton growers

Abohar, September 30

Alleging anomalies in the purchase of cotton here, farmers today staged a sit-in at the grain market, accusing the employees of the market committee of having a nexus with some cotton ginning and pressing factories. The protesters alleged the staff was causing loss to the exchequer by sending cotton-laden trolleys directly to factories without following the auction process.

The farmers took out a protest march near the mandi. They alleged cotton-laden tractor-trolleys were being sent directly to the factories at low rates without bidding in the market. Market committee chairman Surinder Bishnoi pacified them. The farmer leaders handed over a demand letter to him. — OC