NKS members gherao Collectors' offices in 4 dists

Cuttack: Intensifying their agitation demanding pension and special status to farmers in the state, members of Nabanirman Krushak Sangathan (NKS) on Thursday staged protests in front of the offices of Collectors of Cuttack, Jagasinghpur, Dhenkanal and Jajpur districts.

The agitating members of NKS locked the main gates of Collectors’ offices and sat on a dharna demanding acknowledgement of farmer suicide cases in the state by the government.

The farmers' body also threatened to continue its stir till the government gives an assurance to fulfill their demands.

Till last reports came in, police had arrested some striking members of the Sangathan.

“Odisha is an agricultural state. While the government employees are getting seventh pay commission salary and DA and the government is planning to develop various cities as smart cities and planning to run bullet trains, we the farmers do not have irrigation facility in our farming land,” said an agitating member of the sangathan.

“We demand better irrigation facility, setting up of cold storages and godowns. If the governments fail to fulfill our demands we will intensify our stir in the future,” he added.