Red gram ryots face apathy at Vikarabad market yard

Vikarabad: Red gram farmers have been facing hardships waiting for more than six days at the market yard here to get their produce weighed in the absence of required weighing machines, labourers and other equipment. The farmers are doubling up as hamalis as the hamalis appointed by the market yard officials are reluctant to work after evening.

There are no drinking water facilities in the market yard. The farmers have exhausted their money brought from home. They were forced to sleep in the market yard braving chill weather. But the market yard officials have turned a blind eye to the problems of farmers.

Some women farmers, whose families have no male members, brought red gram to the market yard on their own only to wait for the past six days to get their commodity weighed. They are exposed to the chill weather and waiting for their turn in the grip of fear. Red gram farmers complain of apathy from officials as well as people’s representatives and express anguish over the ‘treatment’ they receive at their hands.

E Mogulaiah