Procurement at peak but paddy markets lack basic facilities

Karam Prakash

Tribune News Service

Patiala, October 31

Amid the ongoing procurement of paddy, grain markets in the rural areas are deprived of basic facilities.

Sans usable toilets at grain markets, migrant labourers – who have already flooded various grain markets across the district – are forced to defecate in the open.

In some grain markets, there is no arrangement even for clean drinking water.

A visit to one of the grain markets on Sanour road discovered that labourers were defecating in an open area – a few metres away from the market.

Besides, labourers were seen taking bath in the open from a tap outside the market.

Pankaj, a young labourer from Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, said: “There are no toilets and washrooms at the market. We are going to open plots for defecation. There is only one tap for all the purposes, including bathing and drinking.”

At Daul Kalan grain market, the labourers said they had to defecate in the open, and every year, they faced the same problems. There is no improvement at all, they said.

The labourers demanded that farmers or the commission agents should come forward and make arrangements for toilets and clean drinking water.

Dev Kishan, a labourer from Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh, said: “We are being threatened of dire consequences by the local farmers, if we defecate in their fields. Consequently, labourers resort to relieving along the drain. The administration should come out with a permanent solution.”

At Bahadurgarh grain market, there was a makeshift toilet, but it was lying defunct. The labourers said the officials concerned were informed about it, but to no avail.

Hari Singh, a member of the Jamhoori Kisan Sabha Punjab, said he had already met Patiala DC over the issue.

“I was assured by the DC that he would ensure basic facilities at the grain markets. However, the situation is still the same. At least, the administration should provide mobile toilets at all the grain markets,” he said.

Patiala Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Hans said: “I have directed the officials concerned to provide mobile toilets at grain markets wherever required.”