Farmers stage protest over delay in payment

PALAKKAD: The delay in the payment for the paddy procured by the Supplyco from farmers during the second season has fuelled protests. Once the monsoon begins in the first week of June, paddy saplings have to be transplanted and the delay in the payment is preventing the farmers from preparing their paddy fields on time, said chief organiser of the Palakkadan Karshaka Munettom, Varghese Thoduparambil, who organised a novel way of protest by begging with earthern pots in front of the Civil Station here on Thursday.“A sum of over Rs 300 crore has to be paid to the farmers in the state as arrears. The maximum amount due in Alappuzha district alone is Rs 120 crore. The farmers in Palakkad district are to get Rs 75 crore and those  in Thrissur district have to be paid Rs 40 crore,” said Mohandas, Assistant Manager (Project and procurement), Supplyco, Ernakulam.Mohandas co-ordinates the paddy procurement and payment in the state.The payment to the farmers of Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta has been pending since March 19, and that to the farmers in Palakkad since March 30. The payment to the farmers in Ernakulam and Kottayam has been pending since April 2, and that to the farmers in Thrissur since April 11.As a symbolic protest, the activists begged in front of the Civil Station by carrying 21 earthern pots wearing the masks of 21 ministers in the Cabinet. They also wore the masks of the Opposition Leader, Chief Whip and the Chief Secretary. They collected a sum of around Rs 600 from the public by begging, to signify their plight.Three representatives of the protesters then carried the amount to District Collector Ali Asghar Pasha and appraised him of the situation. The Collector assured them that he would bring the issue to the notice of the government.