Irregularity in issuance of passes delaying wheat procurement in Ludhiana

Even as a week has elapsed since the process of wheat procurement commenced in the state, the authorities concerned have failed to streamline the process of issuing curfew passes to the arhtiyas, who distribute them among the farmers.

The arhtiyas rued that the passes are issued to them with a gap of a day due to which the procurement process is getting delayed. Also, if the farmer is not able to transport the produce on the same day then the pass turns void.

Bharti Kisan Union (Lakhowal) Harinder Singh Lakhowal said that the farmers are facing problems in transportation of their produce due to shortage of passes. “The market committee is issuing passes to arhtiyas with a gap of a day, forcing them and their labourers to sit idle in the markets as a major portion of the grain markets remains empty,” he said.

The farmers are also facing harassment as hey have to wait for their turn to transport their produce to the grain market. For instance, if the combine harvest develops snag or the farmer is not able to arrange trolley on a particular day, they won’t be able to transport their produce the next day as the pass is valid only for only one day.

“The government should issue regular passes to the arhtiyas so that the farmers could bring their produce on daily basis. If the procurement continues at this pace then the government would not be able to achieve the target in 45 days,” said Lakhowal.

One of the arhtiyas at the Gill road grain market requesting anonymity said that the market committee is providing only five passes to arhtiyas in a day.

“When we contacted the market committee, the officials claimed that they are working as per the directions issued by the state government to reduce rush at the markets. The officials have asked us to directly procure the produce of big farmers at their farms only, however, it is not possible as it will require transportation of labour and machinery for the whole process,” said the arhtiya.

Market committee chairman Darshan Lal (Laddoo) Baweja said that the passes are being issued in phased manner as per the guidelines of the state government to avoid rush at the grain markets. “This year is different. The farmers cannot compare it with the previous years.We have to take precautions to contain the spread of Covid-19,” he added.

Chairman recommends cancellation of licences of 3 arhtiyas

After some arhtiyas were caught illegally operating at the main vegetable market (sabzi mandi) near Jalandhar Bypass on Friday night, the chairman of market committee has sent recommendations to the secretary of market committee to cancel the licences of three arhtiyas.

On April 17, a few arhtiyas had illegally assembled a large number of vendors at the vegetable market . A video of the same had gone viral and following a tip off, the police had arrested four vendors who were present there.

Market committee chairman Baweja said, “After watching the video, I sent a recommendation to the secretary of the market committee that action must be taken against the three arhtiyas and their licence should be cancelled.”