The daily quota of transporting paddy had been increased to 12,000 tonnes a day from the earlier 2,000 tonnes a day in Thanjavur district.
In a press release, N. Selvam, Senior Regional Manager, Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC), said that the Corporation had procured a total of 1,68,381 tonnes of paddy since September 1 and 1,00,447 tonnes paddy had been moved out.
Further, 25,435 tonnes of paddy ‘lying on the ground’ were moved through the Thanjavur, Kumbakonam, and Pattukottai railway stations at the rate of 2,000 tonnes a day.
Now, based on the district administration’s request, quota of transportation had been further increased and 6,000 tonnes of paddy was being moved out in addition to 1,000 tonnes by road for hulling in other districts.
A total of 2,500 tonnes per day was being moved to 42 hulling mills and storage points. Hence, on an average 12,000 tonnes of paddy was being moved daily, he said.
As the increase in the quantum of harvest resulted in paddy stock piling up in the open near the direct purchase centres, efforts such as clearing of 64 lakh old gunny bags stored at Corporation’s mills and storage points in the district through e-tender and hiring of godowns like the ‘Santhanam godown’ at Pillaiyarpatti on the outskirts of Thanjavur town, were initiated and the loading and unloading operations expedited by hiring additional hands from other States, he added.
Mr. Selvam assured farmers of hassle-free paddy procurement since the deadlock over the increase in vehicle hire charges between the lorry owners and the Corporation had been resolved with the help of the district administration, the release added.
Deputy CM draws flak
Meanwhile, the Thamizhaga Cauvery Vivasayigal Sangam objected to the statement made by Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin at Thanjavur on Thursday by pointing out that it was made without ascertaining the ground realities.
In a statement, sangam general secretary P.R. Pandian said that the harvested paddy, which could be packed in around 2 lakh gunny bags, remained in the open near the direct procurement centres across the Delta districts. Such being the case, Mr. Udhayanidhi had claimed that there was no stagnation of paddy at the DPCs. Instead of meeting the aggrieved farmers, the Deputy Chief Minister chose to confine himself to inspection of loading operations at the Thanjavur railway station, he regretted.
In a related development, the Thanjavur district unit of the Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam, affiliated to the Communist Part of India, has sought a compensation of ₹30,000 per acre to farmers who were unable to harvest their paddy due to water-logging in the fields and adequate compensation for the samba cultivation taken up by farmers.