Cardamom growers of Theni district have moved Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the Spices Board to conduct cardamom e-auction at Bodinaickanur.
In thepetition, the Idukki District Traditional Cardamom Producer said that every week the Spices Board was conducting e-auction in Bodinaickanur and Puttady in Kerala. But, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the e-auction was not held in the two places.
With the Central and State governments having relaxed the lockdown conditions and allowing agriculture related activities to resume, a representation was sent to the Spices Board to conduct the e-auction. However, Puttady had been declared a COVID-19 red zone by the Kerala government. Under these circumstances, the e-auction should be conducted at Bodinaickanur in the interest of growers.
Justice C.V. Karthikeyan adjourned the hearing in the case by a week after the court was informed that a meeting would be convened by the Theni district administration during the weekend, to resolve the issue.
