Wheat procurement in MP was delayed due to the lockdown. (Photo used for representational purpose only)
INDORE: A 65-year-old farmer suffered a fatal cardiac arrest while waiting for his turn at a wheat procurement centre in MP’s Dewas district on Sunday night, sparking allegations of irregularities in procurement process and lack of facilities.
This is the second such death in a week. On May 25, a farmer died of a heart attack after allegedly waiting for six days for his turn at a procurement centre in Agar Malwa district.
The Dewas farmer, Jairam Mandloi, had received a message from the procurement centre on May 29 and had been waiting in queue for the last two days. His family members say he did not have any pre-existing illnesses.
Former CM Kamal Nath hit out at the state government, saying: “The farmer lost his life due to mismanagement at the procurement centre, along with severe heat and stress. Farmers are running from pillar to post to sell their produce while the government is making false claims. The state should help family of deceased farmers in every possible way and punitive action should be taken against officials responsible for their death.”
Jairam’s brother Ramchandra Mandloi said that a large crowd of farmers had gathered at the mandi. Lack of arrangements of food and water made it worse for farmers waiting to sell their produce.
“There is no token system. People are allowed in on first come first serve basis. Had there been a token system, we could have reached at the designated time,” Ramchandra told reporters.
MP govt extends wheat procurement till June 5
SDM Pravin Soni said Jairam, a resident of Rishi Nagar in Ujjain, was taken to Dewas district hospital after suffering a heart attack on Sunday night, and died during treatment. “His death is unfortunate. We are processing the formalities to extend Rs 4 lakh to his kin under Krishap Kalyan Yojana,” Soni said.
“Dewas district has seen an unprecedented increase in wheat yield. We procured 60,000 metric tonnes of wheat last year. This year, we have already procured 3 lakh metric tonnes,” the SDM said, adding that the Dewas administration is trying to store the additional intake while continuing with the procurement.
Wheat procurement in Madhya Pradesh was delayed by nearly a month due to the Covid-19 lockdown. With migrants flocking back to their home states, theres’s a severe shortage of labourers at mandis to unload the produce, adding to the woes.
“There are some practical limitations but are trying to overcome them,” Soni said, adding the long queues are noticed also because “messages for procurement had gone ahead of the Covid-19 spread and farmers are turning up after a delay”. In view of the rush, the government has extended procurement till June 5
