Lawyers show black flags to Minister

SAMBALPUR: Lawyers of District Bar Association (DBA), Sambalpur, showed black flags to the Minister of Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare, Surya Narayan Patro near the entrance gate of MCL headquarters at Burla on Wednesday. They have been on agitation over the HC Bench demand in Western Odisha since September 5.

Patro was on his way to attend a conference on paddy procurement for the kharif marketing season 2018-19 at the conference hall of MCL headquarters. A group of lawyers, who were present near the main gate of the MCL headquarters, showed the black flags to the convoy of the minister. Patro, who attended the conference, said he supports the lawyers demand and would apprise the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik about it.

President of DBA, Bijitendriya Pradhan said though the Chief Minister had assured them that a team of constitutional experts would be sent to the Central Government to pursue the HC Bench proposal with the Union Government, no steps have been taken so far. The agitating lawyers have taken a decision to show black flags to all the ministers of both the Union and the State governments during their visits to Sambalpur till fulfilment of their demand.

At the conference on paddy procurement, Patro stressed on hassle-free paddy procurement and timely payment to farmers during procurement. He informed that 40 per cent of the paddy procured in the State comes from Western Odisha. The State Government has set a target to procure about 55 lakh MT of paddy during the 2018-19 kharif marketing season covering both kharif and rabi crops. This time, there is no bar on the amount of paddy to be procured. 

Patro said farmers will get their dues within 72 hours of lifting of their paddy from the market yards. Paddy will be procured as per the minimum support price declared by the Central Government. The Food Supplies Department has fixed yield rate of 19 quintal per acre in irrigated area and 13 quintal per acre in non-irrigated area for the kharif season. Paddy procurement for the current kharif season will begin in the region from Kalahandi district from November 5.