Millers’ strike hits paddy lifting in Bathinda district

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, October 19

The lifting of paddy has been badly hit due to rice millers’ strike in the district as only 5% of procured produce has been lifted in the district so far. However, with the efforts of the district administration around 40 rice millers started lifting paddy from today.

As per the data from District Mandi Board, till October 18, a total of 29,047 MT of paddy arrived in the district markets, of which 22,324 MT was purchased, but only 1,217 MT lifted so far.

In Bathinda block, 2,475 MT of paddy has arrived, of which 1,647 MT has been purchased, but no miller is ready to lift the crop due to the strike. In Bhagta Bhaika block, 1,331 MT paddy arrived in market, of which 1,126 MT was purchased and only 39 MT crop lifted. In Bhucho, 945 MT of produce arrived, of which 600 MT purchased and no lifting of crop so far.

In Goniana, 5,888 MT of paddy arrived, of which 5,453 MT purchased and 1,093 MT of crop lifted. In Maur, 2,846 MT of paddy arrived and 1,074 MT purchased, but no lifting took place. In Nathana, 1,083 MT arrived, of which 888 MT purchased, but no lifting of crop took place.

In Rama, 3,176 MT arrived, of which 2,470 MT has been purchased and no lifting of crop has taken place. In Rampura Phul, 3,897 MT of paddy arrived, of which 3,025 MT was purchased, but no lifting of crop. In Sangat, 2,111 MT paddy arrived, of which 1,325 MT purchased, but no lifting of crop took place. In Talwandi Sabo, 5,295 MT arrived, of which 4,716 MT had been purchased and 85 MT lifted so far.

Bathinda Deputy Commissioner Shaukat Ahmed Parray said, “Procurement is just in its initial stage here and 40 rice millers started lifting the procured crop from today, while some started lifting yesterday. It will get streamlined in the coming days.”

Meanwhile, in Mansa, rice miller owners’ opposition to paddy lifting today led to tension between them and police. Later, a large number of policemen were deployed and later the mill owners were taken away in police vehicles. They were later left at different places in Joga, Tamkot, outside police line and near Thuthianwali police post.

Later, the mill owners sat on a protest on the Bathinda-Chandigarh state highway near Thoothianwali Chowki in Mansa district. On knowing this, rice millers from different districts of Punjab started gathering and raising slogans against the state government. The protest got over in the evening, but by that time there were long queues of vehicles.

The millers said the administration tried to forcefully fill carts of paddy in the grain market and send it to shellers, which they would not allow. Mansa SSP Nanak Singh said, “The protest is over. Police did not detain any miller, but took them away in a vehicle for smooth lifting of the crops.”