Rain wrecks Gohana mandi, 20 lakh wheat bags in troubled waters

Gohana/Sonipat: A late-night spell of strong winds and rain wreaked havoc at the Gohana grain market, soaking lakhs of quintals of wheat lying in the open and laying bare serious gaps in procurement and mandi infrastructure. Farmers and traders said the crisis is worsening, with stalled lifting, waterlogging and delayed payments adding to their losses.By morning, labourers were seen moving drenched wheat bags across the mandi in a last-ditch effort to salvage the produce. With no dry space available, however, most of the stock remains exposed. Choked sewer lines have led to severe waterlogging, with water flowing beneath heaps of stacked bags. Tarpaulins meant to protect the grain were blown away by strong winds.Over 20 lakh wheat bags are currently lying stranded in the mandi, with lifting operations almost at a standstill. Traders and commission agents said repeated pleas to speed up evacuation have brought little relief on the ground.Mandi secretary Savita Jain confirmed the damage, saying efforts would be made to dry the wheat once sunlight returned. She said the mandi has received about 16 lakh metric tonnes of wheat so far, of which only around 8 lakh metric tonnes has been lifted. Notices have been issued to commission agents to ensure proper covering of stocks, with action threatened in case of lapses.Farmer organisations, however, lashed out at the administration. Bharatiya Kisan Union state vice-president Satyawan Narwal called the situation a "complete failure of governance", alleging that sluggish procurement, shortage of gunny bags and poor drainage had left farmers exposed to repeated losses.Leader of opposition and former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the crisis was not limited to Gohana. "Wheat is lying in poor condition in mandis across Haryana. Farmers are not getting timely payments. The govt promised speedy procurement and payments but has failed. Farmers are struggling to meet daily expenses and prepare for the next crop," he said.Traders warned that wheat soaked by rain may be rejected by procurement agencies due to high moisture levels, forcing them to spend extra on drying and effectively suffer double losses.Allegations have also been levelled against the lifting contractor, with traders claiming that the number of vehicles promised at the tender stage is not available on the ground, slowing evacuation. A shortage of gunny bags has further hampered packing and safe storage.Farmers also flagged long delays in payments. Sonika, a farmer from Chhidi village, said she brought 600 quintals of wheat to the mandi on April 14 but has received payment for only 150 quintals so far. Surendra Singh of Garhwal village said he sold 450 quintals on April 17, but payments have been cleared for just 150 quintals."We have to prepare for the next crop, but our money is stuck. The govt claims payments are made within 72 hours, but weeks have passed. Now rain has damaged our wheat as well," a farmer said, adding that the problem is widespread across the mandi system.
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