BJD protests against urea shortage; govt refutes claims

Bhubaneswar: BJD organised a protest outside the Governor House on Monday demanding urgent action to address the ongoing fertiliser shortage affecting farmers across Odisha.

But cooperation minister Pradeep Bal Samanta refuted the BJD’s claims, assuring that there is no cause for alarm regarding fertiliser availability.

“We have about 1.80 lakh tons of fertiliser in stock. If more is needed, it will be procured. The demand increased because of a good crop season,” Bal Samanta explained, accusing BJD of politicising the issue.The demonstration saw participation from hundreds of party leaders, workers, and farmer representatives, who expressed frustration over the govt’s alleged failure to ensure timely fertiliser supply despite previous assurances.As tensions escalated, protesters attempted to march towards Governor House to present a memorandum to Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati. However, there were police barricades, leading to a brief scuffle between BJD workers and security forces.The protest highlighted images of farmers queuing for fertilisers in different parts of the state. The opposition BJD showcased banners declaring, “Farmers in Odisha are not sleeping due to urea shortage.”

A delegation of BJD leaders, including several MLAs, was eventually permitted to enter the Governor House to submit their memorandum, which detailed the challenges faced by farmers during this critical crop season.BJD MLA Ganeswar Behera criticised the state govt, accusing it of neglecting farmers’ needs and prioritising political interests over agricultural welfare. “We demand immediate action and urge the Governor to intervene, as the govt has failed to manage the situation,” Behera stated.The BJD, in the meantime, has warned that if their demands are not addressed promptly, they will escalate their protests to block levels across the state, signalling a potential intensification of the political standoff over this critical agricultural issue.Notably, leader of opposition Naveen Patnaik recently wrote to Union agriculture minister J P Nadda seeking intervention for smooth urea supply to the state. Following his letter, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi chaired a high-level meeting and directed officials to ensure availability of urea in the state.