300 tractors roll into Bastar's Bijapur as farmers protest diesel shortage ahead of sowing season

Raipur: Hundreds of farmers drove nearly 300 tractors through Bijapur town on Monday to protest an acute shortage of diesel and petrol, warning that the fuel crisis could severely disrupt sowing operations with the monsoon setting in across the region.The rally was taken out by the Kisan Union, began from Naimed and passed through the district headquarters before culminating in a public meeting and demonstration.While Bijapur collector Vishwadeep told TOI that all the petrol pumps in the district have ample stock and regular reporting is also being done about its availability, the farmers alleged that fuel shortages at petrol pumps had forced them to make repeated trips in search of diesel, even as preparations for the kharif season gathered pace."Farmers were already struggling for fertilisers and seeds. Now diesel has become a major concern. How will cultivation take place if tractors cannot run?" a farmer said. Several farmers claimed they were either being denied fuel or supplied only limited quantities at retail outlets. Some alleged that while ordinary customers were turned away, diesel was being sold in containers to traders who later resold it at higher prices.

"We take bank loans to buy tractors and repay them through farm income. If diesel is not available during the sowing season, how will we cultivate our fields and repay our loans?" a farmer participating in the rally said.Following the rally, farmers submitted a memorandum to the district administration demanding adequate diesel supplies at all fuel stations, permission to purchase diesel in drums for agricultural use and the opening of new petrol pumps in remote areas including Kutru, Gangaloor, Bhairamgarh, Awapalli, Basaguda and Madded.