Throwing his weight behind the subabul and eucalyptus farmers seeking fulfilment of their long pending demands, Khammam MP Nama Nageswara Rao has asked the ITC Paperboards & Speciality Papers Division unit at Sarapaka in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district to ensure payment of the remunerative price of ₹ 4,500 per tonne to the pulpwood produce.
Mr Rao presided over a meeting organised by the district administration here on Tuesday to discuss the long pending issues of the subabul and eucalyptus farmers with the officials of the ITC PSPD unit.
The Zilla Parishad chairperson L Kamal Raj, Collector R.V. Karnan, the ITC PSPD, Sarapaka, vice-president Sunil Pande, the Subabul and Jamayal Rythu Sangham leaders, among others were present.
Mr Rao, who is also the TRS floor leader in the Lok Sabha, expressed his serious concern over the alleged failure of the Sarapaka Paper Mill management to fully honour the agreement reached with the representatives of the subabul and eucalyptus farmers on April 4, 2018.
Referring to the issues raised by the farmers pertaining to the difficulties in disposing of their pulpwood produce, he asked the ITC officials concerned to redress their grievances and strictly comply with the 2018 accord before January 18. He said a complaint would be lodged with the government on behalf of the farmers if the officials failed to resolve the legitimate demands of the farmers.
Earlier, the representatives of the farmers’ associations alleged that the paper mill management arbitrarily reduced the price of pulpwood produce to ₹ 4,200 per tonne from February 17, 2020, in violation of the 2018 agreement reached with them. They sought the company to abide by the agreement.
They wanted the company to set up purchase centres in mandal headquarters, ensure prompt issuance of purchase orders, unloading and procurement of the produce in a hassle free manner. Mild commotion prevailed for sometime soon after the beginning of the meeting when some local BJP leaders objected to remarks made by a TRS Rytu Samanvaya Samithi leader referring to the ongoing farmers’ stir at New Delhi.
