WARANGAL: After farmers ransacked the Khammam market yard after being offered low price for their chilli produce, high alert has sounded at Enumamula Agriculture Market, the second largest market in asia. The market has remained closed for several days now and is scheduled to reopen on May 2. Chilli in large quantities is expected to reach the market. As a precautionary measure, the district administration has decided to post revenue officials to monitor the situation and allow only farmers into the market.
Warangal rural collector Prashanth Jeevan Patil directed officials to make foolproof arrangements. All transactions would be monitored and the price charts would be put on display. “No one else except farmers will be allowed inside the market to avoid any untoward incidents,” Mr Patil said. Revenue officials would set up check posts and monitor inflow of the produce. Steps will be taken to make sure the produce is sold the same day it arrives at the market,” Mr Patil said.
Farmers coming to the market must bring land ownership passbook, a photocopy of their Aadhaar card and other papers with them. The market officials too must produce their identity cards to be allowed inside the market. Joint collector S. Dayanand said special security measures were also taken. CCTV cameras have been arranged inside the market, he said. Police teams and fire engines also would be on hand. The feeling that it’s high time that the state government acts on the issue is getting stronger.
Even though the TRS leaders insist that the farmers are satisfied, the Khammam market yard incident proves the TRS leaders wrong. There has been bumper chilli crop this year in Khammam and Warangal districts, leaving the farmers quite happy till the time the crop was harvested and brought to the markets. The farmers got the shock of their lives upon reaching the market yards. They were offered Rs 3,000 per quintal as against the regular price of around Rs 10,000 per quintal.
The general feeling is that all the welfare measures introduced by the TRS government will come to nought if it does not start taking corrective measures immediately and rushes to the aid of farmers. As of now, the farmers’ anger is giving the opening the Opposition was looking for, to attack the TRS with. If the Opposition manages to seize the opportunity, it could be a hard blow for TRS.
