Kendu leaf pluckers resent exploitation by private players

MALKANGIRI:Resentment is brewing among kendu leaf pluckers who are being exploited by private traders. The pluckers are in utter distress as private players, who dominate the lucrative trade, pay less amount for the leaves.

While the plucking season has already started, private traders from the district and outside are moving from one village to other to procure the leaves. However, most of the pluckers are reluctant to sell the leaves to them as they are being paid only `200 to `250 per 100 bundles (‘chata’), sources said.

The State Government has set the kendu leaf procurement target at only 91,300 bags, each comprising 1,250 bundles, this season leaving the rest of the leaves for private players to procure. The Government move has paved the way for local and private buyers from Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh besides middlemen to take advantage of the situation and exploit the pluckers by purchasing the leaves at a much lower price.

While the Government agencies are paying `200 as labour charges and `250 bonus to each plucker for 100 bags, including provision of other benefits like slippers, umbrella and an insurance coverage of `2 lakh, the private buyers are paying only `200-`250 per 1oo bundles, said Raju Pangi, a kendu leaf plucker of Pottrel village under Korukonda panchyat. Denied of fair price, hundreds of pluckers have been forced to stock the leaves in their houses, he said.

Pangi further claimed that the Government is incurring a loss to the tune of at least `4 crore every year for allowing private players to buy kendu leaves from villagers. The move has also not proved beneficial for pluckers who are being denied of fair price for the leaves, said a Forest official on condition of anonymity. There are only 40,000 registered kendu leaf pluckers in the district, he informed.

Contacted, Jeypore Division (Kendu Leaf) Forest Officer Aditya Rout said he has written to Malkangiri District Panchayat Officer for authorised signatures of persons deployed at every panchayat of the district to keep a record of details of private buyers basing on which permission is granted.“However, we have received no communication from the officer,” he said.

Only Government agencies can set up godowns for storage of kendu leaves. All kendu leaf Range Officers in Malkangiri have been directed to ensure that no godowns are set up by private buyers in the district, Rout added.

Meanwhile, the pluckers have urged Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to revive the previous practice of buying kendu leaves directly by Government agencies, thereby enabling them to get suitable price and other Government benefits for the forest product.