Potato Issue

Roadblock by potato growers

 

COOCH BEHAR, July 18: A large number of potato growers blocked the Alipurduar-Falakata road at 18-mile near Baburhat in Alipurduar sub-division of Jalpaiguri district on Friday noon for about one-and-half hours. They made the traffic movement standstill by placing sacks of potatoes on the road. Following the agitation the vehicular traffic was disrupted along the road for a long time.

 

An agitated potato grower, Mr Ramesh Roy said they staged the roadblock demanding waiving of bank loans and rental charge of cold storage. As the price of potato is very low in the wholesale market it is difficult to realise the cost of production or rent of cold storage by selling their potatoes. Today they brought about 12 bags of potato to block the road, he said.

 

On the othrhand, supporters of the Congress too staged a sit-in at the office premises of the Alipurduar SDO expressing their support to the poor potato growers.

 

It may be mentioned here that similar demonstrations were held at Birpara yesterday and at Buxa Feeder Road in Alipurduar town on the previous day. []

 

PHOTO : Unclaimed bags of potatoes on a village road in Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri.