Farmers’ protests escalate across Telangana over delayed paddy procurement
Scenes of anguish unfold in multiple districts with farmers' families going to the extent of touching the feet of officials seeking justice
Hyderabad: With delays in paddy procurement pushing them to the brink of desperation, farmers across Telangana switched to protest mode on Wednesday.
Scenes of anguish unfolded in multiple districts with farmers’ families going to the extent of touching the feet of officials seeking justice.
In a bid to draw the attention of the people in power, they resorted to dramatic measures, including blocking highways and burning paddy bags. The situation, which exposed systemic failures, highlighted acute distress of farmers as their harvested crops were at risk.
In Suryapet district, farmers and their families protested on NH-365, stacking paddy bags along the Dantalapalli-Suryapet road to demand action at the Bollampalli PACS-run procurement centre.
Holding sprouted grains and pesticide bottles, they highlighted their financial ruin, with wet paddy left not considered for procurement due to official inaction.
In Narsimhulapet, Mahabubabad district, two women farmers publicly touched the Mandal Revenue Officer’s feet, urging him to ensure that their paddy was weighed and purchased. The emotional plea, made before the village elders, left the officer embarrassed, but failed to deliver prompt action.
At Kummarikuntla village in Dantalapalli mandal of the same district, farmers escalated their protest at a local procurement centre, demanding the immediate purchase of their damaged crops. They blocked roads and accused officials of negligence, claiming repeated requests were ignored, exposing their paddy to further spoilage.
In Gattu mandal of Jogulamba Gadwal district, a farmer parked his paddy-laden tractor at the Collectorate complex to draw attention to his plight. After officials assured him of procurement, millers rejected his stock, citing moisture levels above 17 per cent. His appeals for justice went unanswered, deepening his frustration.
In Muktapur, farmer Adumalla Sridhar set his paddy ablaze at a Primary Agriculture Cooperative Society centre after a three-week wait for weighing and purchase. Onlookers extinguished the fire, saving his paddy, but the act highlighted the desperation driving farmers to extreme measures.
The State government had claimed to have procured nearly 65 lakh tonnes of Rabi paddy against the target of 71 lakh tonnes, but with the procurement season nearing its end, farmers continued to face weeks-long delays.
