Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad   

Panel to monitor purchase of black jaggery

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD Oct. 22. In the wake of protests from farmers against the restrictions on sale of black jaggery, a State-level committee consisting of the Principal Secretary (Revenue), the Excise Commissioner and the Managing Director of Markfed was set up to monitor purchase of the produce directly from farmers.

Announcing this at a press conference, the Minister for Agriculture, V. Sobhandreeswara Rao, said similar committees at the district level would be headed by Joint Collectors. The Government order directing the Markfed to purchase the produce from farmers would be issued soon.

The State-level committee would assess the problem arising out of the protests from farmers and traders in black jaggery and monitor the purchase of the produce by the State undertaking (Markfed). Similarly district-level committees would oversee the procurement of the produce at reasonable price.

The Minister assured that with the constitution of these committees, the farmers need not fear of harassment by excise officials. He accused the Opposition parties of politicising the issue and inciting the farmers.

He said the State-level committee would examine the various purposes for which black jaggery is said to be used in the light of the controversy that the produce is being diverted for manufacture of illicitly distilled liquor.

Cong. condemns police action: The Congress decried the lathicharge on farmers agitating against ban on black jaggery and "the false cases'' foisted on them at Bhikanoor in Nizamabad district.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, the APCC spokesman, Gali Muddukrishnama Naidu, and the vice-president, Mohd Shabbir Ali, alleged that the four Ministers and the TDP leaders, present on the occasion, indulged in provocative behaviour instead of pacifying the agitated farmers.

The Congress leaders demanded an apology from the Ministers and withdrawal of the false cases against the farmers.

In a statement, the CLP leader, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, demanded the removal of the ban on black jaggery trade immediately. He deplored the harassment of the farmers by excise officials on this count. When the issue was raised in the Assembly, the Excise Minister assured the House that the ban would be lifted and that there would be no harassment of farmers.

Contrary to the assurances, the excesses of excise officials on the farmers have gone up. False cases were being foisted on the farmers, he said.

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