Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has directed collectors of eight bordering districts to ensure paddy from Chhattisgarh doesn’t enter Odisha for unauthorized purposes.
The concerned districts are Bargarh, Sambalpur, Balangir, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh and Nabarangpur.
In a letter to collectors of these districts, Additional Secretary to the government Bijay Kumar Prusty has written that paddy (Kharif crop) will be procured from registered farmers as per tokens issued to them.
Since there is a possibility “that some unscrupulous traders/persons will try to push paddy procured from Chhattisgarh into procurement system in your districts”, Prusty has recommended following steps to be taken to prevent such action:
a) It has to be ensured that unauthorized paddy sourced from neighbouring state Chhattisgarh does not enter the premises of procuring societies/groups in your district
b) District Level Squads/Sub-divisional Squads may be activated and asked to conduct periodic checks in the field to keep an eye on unscrupulous traders bringing paddy from Chhattisgarh
c) Action against such traders/millers/persons engaged in illegal activities may also be taken under appropriate provisions of law.
