Farmers’ stir demands paddy bonus payment

Khanapur: The farmers expressed anguish that even today they have not received the bonus for the fine variety of paddy cultivated and sold during the Yasangi (summer) season. Farmers from Khanapur town in Nirmal district staged a rasta roko (road blockade) at Komaram Bheem Chowrasta on the Nirmal–Mancherial highway.

They demanded that the government immediately pay the bonus to those who cultivated the fine variety of paddy.

Due to the protest, traffic on the Nirmal–Mancherial road came to a standstill.

Sub-Inspector Rahul Gaikwad reached the spot and tried to pacify the farmers, but they sat firmly in protest.

Tahsildar Sujatha Reddy also came to the protesting farmers and spoke with them. When the farmers insisted that the bonus be paid immediately, Tahsildar Sujatha Reddy contacted Joint Collector Kishore Kumar over the phone. Joint Collector Kishore Kumar spoke to the farmers and explained that reports had already been sent to the government regarding the payment of the bonus and that it would be released soon.

He requested the farmers to call off their protest. Following this assurance, the farmers withdrew their agitation.