Jhajjar/ Rohtak: Tension gripped the Dubaldhan Majra grain market on Friday as farmers and agents locked gates to protest slow lifting and mounting stocks left in the open. The blockade ended after Beri SDM Renuka Nandal promised swift resolutions, including opening two additional lifting points and expanding the mandi area by paving the premises.Despite these assurances, bottlenecks persist across Jhajjar and Rohtak. Mamta Kadian of BKU (Jhajjar) noted that bumper production has overwhelmed small centers, while shortages of labor and gunny bags worsen the distress. Farmers Joginder and Jayanarayan highlighted harassment by agents and technical delays with the biometric system. Others, like Ramher and Dharampal, criticised registration flaws that prevent the purchase of produce exceeding declared quantities. Concerns also arose regarding online payments being split across multiple family accounts, making withdrawals cumbersome.In Rohtak, similar congestion prevails. Grain market secretary Deepak Lauchak reported 18.5 lakh quintals of arrivals this season, with only 25% lifted so far. Protests also erupted over excessive deductions; while farmers claim Rs 16 is being docked per quintal, officials maintain the figure is Rs 11. Infrastructure remains a flashpoint, as Lauchak clarified that providing tarpaulin is the responsibility of commission agents under their licensing terms.The crisis has reached Beri, Saghi, and Kiloi, where lack of space forces storage in open fields. Sumit Kumar of Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha blamed administrative delays and biometric verification for slowing truck movements. As intermittent showers intensified by evening, the threat to exposed grain increased.Hooda lambasts govt over delayed lifting Leader of opposition and former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda criticised the BJP government, alleging farmers are being treated “like criminals”. He slammed the multiple layers of verification—portals, gate passes, biometrics, and tractor checks—claiming these procedural hurdles have stalled procurement during peak arrival. In Jhajjar district, arrivals have reached 10.58 lakh quintals, up from 8.3 lakh last year, yet only 36% of the stock has been evacuated to date.
