Bhadrak farmers yet to get payments for paddy procurement, threaten suicide  

Hundreds of farmers on Thursday staged a roadblock at Chandimal Square on Dhamra-Jamujhadi road in Bhadrak district, demanding payments for the paddy they sold three months ago. 

Sources said the farmers of Basudevpur area had sold their paddy to Gadi Samabaya Samiti three months ago. But the money for the paddy they sold is yet to be credited to their accounts. 

They did several rounds of the Panchayat office as the secretary kept on changing dates for payment. Fed up with the secretary’s behaviour, they took their grievance with the district Collector and the Civil Supply Officer (CSO). It too yielded no result for them. With no option left, the miffed farmers decided to stage a roadblock to press for their demand. 

Today morning, hundreds of farmers laid siege to the Dhamra-Jamujhadi road at Chandimal Square, disrupting vehicular movement on the stretch. Hundreds of vehicles were seen stranded on both sides of the road. 

Most importantly, some farmers were reportedly seen carrying poison bottles in their hands threatening to commit suicide. 

At the time of filing this report, no official reached the spot to hold a discussion with the agitating farmers and to persuade them to call off the strike so that traffic on the stretch would become normal.