The Kerala High Court on Tuesday directed the Department of Civil Supplies in consultation with the Labour and Rehabilitation Department to take a decision on the plea of farmers to reduce the cost of carrying paddy to procurement centres.( Madiyappadam Padasekhara Samithi & Ors. V. The State Of Kerala & Ors. )
The bench led by Justice A. Muhamed Mustaque was hearing two writ petitions filed by Padasekhara Smithies and paddy cultivators in Palakkad District with regard to levy of charges by contractors towards loading paddy into lorries. The issue involved in both the writ petitions were common and therefore, the court disposed of the cases by a common judgment.
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The Government of Kerala had implemented the paddy procurement scheme and has entrusted the Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation as an implementing agency for paddy procurement. The Civil supplies corporation formulated certain guidelines for the procurement of paddy from farmers. The Civil Supplies Corporation is the implementing agency for paddy procurement, processing, and marketing as authorized by the State govt. The activities related to the scheme like transporting paddy, storage, processing, and distribution of rice are being carried through private entrepreneurs on a contract basis in the absence of a modern rice mill to process the paddy.
The learned counsel for the petitioners submitted before this Court that different rates have been levied from the farmers depends upon the distance and the collection does not have uniformity. It is also submitted that as per guidelines, the farmers are not bound to pay such charges to the contractors.
After the court directed the Paddy Marketing Officer to submit a report to formulate issues after the non-compliance of the order passed by the court. The Paddy Marketing Officer submitted that the payment of charges by the farmers for loading paddy to the vehicles of miller can be avoided by notifying the procurement centers. It was also opined that the excess charges by the headload workers can be avoided if the government notify fare uniform charges
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The entire idea of entrusting the Civil Supplies Corporation was taking note of the welfare of the farmers. The Government must ensure that the burden of the farmers is minimized to the maximum extent possible and also take note of the grievance of an individual farmer shall find out he is not put with the heavy financial burden for carrying the paddy to the centers.
After considering all the facts and circumstances, the court submitted that this matter requires deeper consideration by the Government of Kerala. The Department of Civil Supplies with the consultation of the Labour and Rehabilitation Department shall decide the matter. The government shall also consider any other suggestions made by the petitioners. The High Court considered that the harvest season is near, the matter required urgent consideration by the Government.
It was directed to the Secretary to the Government, Department of Civil Supplies Corporation to decide the matter within a period of one month.
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