OUWJ observes National Press Day with Drought-hit Farmers in Rayagada
Ramanaguda, Nov 17: The members of Odisha Union of Working Journalists(OUWJ)-Rayagada Chapter observed the National Press Day in the amidst hundred of farmers from several villages of Ramanaguda. The farmers present brusted sheer anger against the lethargic action of the Govt.
The recent suicide at Haduguda village of Buthingi gram panchayat was condemned. The local Large Area Multi-Purpose Society(LAMPS) president disapproved govt’s decision to provide fresh loans to farmers. This will doubly burden the farmer and there will be more suicides.
He suggested to waive the entire loan of the affected farmers before giving a fresh loan. Sri Gobinda Senapati suggested an Agricultural Service Centre(ASC) under the management of LAMPS. The ASC must keep tractors, power tillers, pumps, threasers and other agricultural equipments and give those on hire to farmers. The govt must do away with the present rule that no LIP should be established in the ayacut area of any non-functional irrigation project.
“The govt officers should be sensitive not to twist the suicide as family conflict. As the farmers are not organized, time has come for them to come to the street for a peaceful struggle and assert their rights”, said Sri Jogesh Das, District President of OUWJ. Sri Deepak Prusty, General Secretary of OUWJ-Rayagada Chapter told that the journos had decided to stand by the affected farmers at the grassroot. Sri Dilip Panda, Vice-President requested the farmers to fight for justice in stead of suicide. Sri Anubrat Bara, a senior scribe of the district expressed his concern about the present state of affairs and assured the farmers to take their issues to the higher authorities.
Sri Subas Gantayat, Ex-Vice-President(HR), Reliance Petro & L&T, who was the Chief Guest on the occasion, requested the farmers to raise their voices through sensitive media persons and certainly refrain from suicide. All the farmers and people’s representatives must go back to their respective villages and spread this message. He also expressed concern that the prominent corporates operating in the district were not showing any interest to chip in at this crucial juncture.
Sri Bishnu Padaraj Mohanty, a veteran Social Worker and a famous columnist from Bhubaneswar addressed the gathering as the Guest of Honour and said that the Govt personnel should sincerely render their service as the “Sevak of the people” and not as their masters. Sri Rakhal Chandra Parida, Tehsildar, Ramanaguda, present on the dais as a guest of honour agreed with Sri Mohanty and assured the farmers to do his bit at his level and represent their issues at higher levels.
Sri Sanjaya Pradhan, Secretary, OUWJ, Rayagada Unit extended vote of thanks. The effort of the scribes to observe the press day in this manner has been applauded by the local inhabitants of Ramanaguda.
The district administration of Rayagada also interacted with the scribes on their issues. The scribes suggested the district administration not be instrumental in making cleavages in local media associations, document and give a proper place in the Sanskruti Bhawan about the contribution made by Simanchal Mohapatra, Simanchal Samantaray, Joseph Bara, Nabin Patra and Sriranjan Buxipatra who had already left for heavenly abode, facilitate bus and railway pass, let the scribe known about important events sufficiently ahead of time, issue press releases after the event, disclose important information voluntarily within the ambit of rules and procedures, etc. Sri Deepak Prusty suggested the district administration that the wife of deceased scribe Nabin Patra, who is now working as brick-klin labourer in Kashipur, must be supported. Collector presided over the meeting where DIPRO and ADIPRO were present.