Rs 2 crore payment due, farmers protest at Anaj Mandi

Indore: A large number of farmers on Monday shut work at Laxmibai Nagar Anaj Mandi to register their protest against a trader for not making payment of Rs 2 crore after purchasing wheat from producers.

“Five firms of a trader had purchased around 30,000 quintal wheat from 200 farmers and had issued cheques as mode of payment.

But, bank returned the cheques due to insufficient balance in the account. The farmers are now running from pillar to post to get their payment,” Bhartiya Kisan Union Indore district president Bablu Jadhav told TOI.

The protesters handed over a list of 12 properties belonging to one Radheshyam Trade Company. They demanded administration to seal them and put it on auction for their payment. “We are helpless. We need money to clear our debts and purchase seeds and fertilizers for next crops. We will not move till the payment is made. We are also ready to go to jail,” protesters said.

The protest affected daily business in the mandi. “The farmers were sitting on dharna outside mandi’s gate, which is not under our jurisdiction. We are trying to help them in getting their due payment. The process, however, is taking some time,” the mandi secretary Mansingh Muniya said.