Bathinda: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday said it was unfortunate that farmers were being forced to wait in grain markets for up to 10 days to sell their wheat crop.After interacting with farmers during his visit to the Malout grain market, the SAD chief said it was shocking that despite a minister formally inaugurating procurement nearly 10 days ago, the produce of farmer Darshan Singh of Jodhpur village was yet to be procured.Badal said farmers complained that procurement was being delayed on the pretext of excess moisture even though the wheat had dried completely. They also flagged non-availability of gunny bags and lack of basic facilities such as drinking water in mandis.He also met arhtiyas, who said mandis were running out of storage space and that acute shortages of labour and gunny bags were severely hampering the procurement process.“It is shameful that instead of owning responsibility for wheat procurement, chief minister Bhagwant Mann is concocting ‘kiklis’ to target me politically,” Badal said. “He may make a hundred ‘kiklis’, but he should not punish farmers. I urge him to ensure immediate procurement and lifting to end their suffering.”Later, Badal visited Kabarwala and Pakki Tibbi villages in Muktsar district, where standing wheat crop has been completely destroyed over large areas. He announced that the SAD would distribute wheat to affected farmers and extend all possible assistance.
