Tribune News Service
Muktsar, October 31
After some farmers accused commission agents of issuing diktat of adding 1 kg of paddy more per bag during procurement citing high moisture content in the crop, Punjab Mandi Board, Muktsar, has suspended licence of three of them for a week and imposed penalty on five others.
Farmers, however, alleged that the action was just an eyewash as board officials were also hand in glove with the arhtiyas. “The government has permitted 17 per cent moisture content for the procurement. But the commission agents are fleecing us by asking for about 1 kg more paddy per bag, which is worth around Rs 20. We are sufferring losses due to this. Nobody listened to our complaints in the past,” said a local farmer.
Gaurav Garg, District Mandi Officer, Muktsar, said, “We have received complaints against some commission agents of overweighing paddy-laden gunny bags. Acting swiftly, we have suspended the licence of three of them for a week and imposed penalty on five others.”
Meanwhile, the Kotbhai police have arrested a commission agent for allegedly fleecing farmers at the Doda grain market.
The Deputy Commissioner (DC), along with the officials overseeing the crop procurement here, recently visited some grain markets and purchase centres in the district. Some farmers claimed that the paddy lifting was slow at Killianwali. “The issue has been resolved now and the procurement is underway,” said Himanshu Kukkar, District Food and Civil Supplies Controller, Muktsar.
3 arhtiyas’ licence suspended, 5 fined in Muktsar
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