MADURAI
Taking a serious view of mismanagement of direct purchase centres (DPCs), the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday put forth a series of queries to the State in order to safeguard the interests of farmers. The court directed the government to file its response on October 16.
A Division Bench of Justices N. Kirubakaran and B. Pugalendhi observed that because of abundant rain, the agriculture yield was good and farmers were bringing more paddy to the DPCs. However, the officials were making them wait for days together.
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The poor farmers had no place to keep the paddy and since it was rainy season, there was a possibility of the grains getting damaged. It was also alleged that the officials were procuring from private traders instead of the farmers, the judges said.
Further, the court observed that bribe was being demanded from the farmers for purchase of the paddy and officials were rejecting the paddy on the grounds that the moisture content was more and non-availability of sufficient number of gunny bags at the DPCs.
In order to ascertain the situation, the court asked the State to give the number of procurement centres in Tamil Nadu, and tell whether the paddy procured was stored in temporary centres before being moved to godowns and warehouses.
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The judges further asked why the government had not put up temporary sheds to keep the paddy, whether it was true that sufficient number of gunny bags were not available and whether bribe was being demanded.
The court also asked whether paddy was procured from private traders instead of the farmers, how many bags were damaged and what measures were taken to procure paddy effectively and swiftly.
The court suo motu impleaded the Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation and Secretary of Cooperation, Food and Consumer Protection Department in the public interest litigation petition filed by advocate A.P. Suryaprakasam who alleged irregularities at the DPCs.