Coimbatore: As many as 23 farmers from the Nilgiris district who were evicted from R S Puram Uzhavar Sandhai on Monday came to the district collectorate and urged collector K Rajamani to allow them to put up their shops in the market again. While the collector asked the deputy director in charge of agricultural marketing to investigate into the matter, he also directed the officer to ensure that Coimbatore farmers be given priority over farmers from other districts.
The farmers, who displayed identity cards stating that they are members of the RS Puram Uzhavar Sandhai, said they had been setting up shop in the market between nine years and 20 years.
“Some farmers have started selling in the market when it was started 20 years ago. We mostly sell vegetables produced from our family farms. Once we run out of stock, we buy vegetables from neighbouring farmers and sell them,” Sivanandham Bhojan, one of the farmers, said. “As per the rules, we only sell a maximum of three vegetables each. For example, I sell only carrot and beans,” he added.
On Monday, the farmers brought fresh vegetables and began setting up shops when they were suddenly evicted by agriculture officers and police, they said.
Another complaintant said earlier, shop allotments were done by a lot system. Slowly agriculture officers began allotting ‘permanent shop’ to six or seven id card holders and allowed them to sell any number of vegetables.
“When we questioned about this, the authorities evicted us,” Bhojan said, adding, “We now want to be reinstated in the market or to get back our vegetables that we left in the market.”
While the farmers were upset that the collector questioned what Nilgiris farmers were doing the market, Rajamani, however, said priority should be given to local farmers. “I don’t deny that Nilgiris farmers were brought and placed in the Uzhavar Sandhai 20 years ago, when the concept was still new, to ensure adequate supply to the local people.
However, they are forming a lobby in uzhavar sandhais in the district now and are not allowing local farmers to set up shops,” he said.
Besides, none of the complainants are pure farmers as they sometimes act as traders when they buy produce from other farmers. “I am clear that only farmers should be given priority. Traders should either not be allowed or only considered as the last preference,” he said.
However, I have asked the agriculture marketing officer to investigate into all the issues and give me a report within a fortnight, he added.
The farmers, who displayed identity cards stating that they are members of the RS Puram Uzhavar Sandhai, said they had been setting up shop in the market between nine years and 20 years.
“Some farmers have started selling in the market when it was started 20 years ago. We mostly sell vegetables produced from our family farms. Once we run out of stock, we buy vegetables from neighbouring farmers and sell them,” Sivanandham Bhojan, one of the farmers, said. “As per the rules, we only sell a maximum of three vegetables each. For example, I sell only carrot and beans,” he added.
On Monday, the farmers brought fresh vegetables and began setting up shops when they were suddenly evicted by agriculture officers and police, they said.
Another complaintant said earlier, shop allotments were done by a lot system. Slowly agriculture officers began allotting ‘permanent shop’ to six or seven id card holders and allowed them to sell any number of vegetables.
“When we questioned about this, the authorities evicted us,” Bhojan said, adding, “We now want to be reinstated in the market or to get back our vegetables that we left in the market.”
While the farmers were upset that the collector questioned what Nilgiris farmers were doing the market, Rajamani, however, said priority should be given to local farmers. “I don’t deny that Nilgiris farmers were brought and placed in the Uzhavar Sandhai 20 years ago, when the concept was still new, to ensure adequate supply to the local people.
However, they are forming a lobby in uzhavar sandhais in the district now and are not allowing local farmers to set up shops,” he said.
Besides, none of the complainants are pure farmers as they sometimes act as traders when they buy produce from other farmers. “I am clear that only farmers should be given priority. Traders should either not be allowed or only considered as the last preference,” he said.
However, I have asked the agriculture marketing officer to investigate into all the issues and give me a report within a fortnight, he added.
Trending Topics
LATEST VIDEOS
More from TOI
Navbharat Times
Featured Today in Travel
Get the app