The Sambalpur Zilla Krushak Surakshyaa Sangathan (SJKSS) organised a three-hour bandh on Friday that paralysed life all over the district.

Farmers gathered at 17 different places of the district in all nine blocks to stop movement of vehicles and show their protest towards the apathetic attitude of Government to farmers and their problems.

The result being the district remained cut off from rest of the State for from 10 am to 1pm. The Sangathan pressing for fulfillment of four- point charter of demand organised the bandh where thousands of farmers took part and raised their voice against the apathy and cunningness of the insurance company.

The four demands are payment of compensation to the farmers under Pradhan Mantri Phasal Bima Yojana, and removal of private insurance company from the business, payment of last year’s input subsidy to the left out farmers, declaration of Sambalpur as drought affected district for the current year and waiver of agriculture loans to all farmers to strengthen their financial backbone. They further demanded for Rs 500 bonus by the State Government to farmers per quintal of paddy.

“The farmers of Sambalpur in the rain-fed area are facing drought in regular intervals. At the same time, the farmers of the irrigated area and particularly that of the Hirakud command area are victims of Chakada Poka. Hence, they are facing debacles regularly and some of them being unable to bear the loss are commiting suicide,” said farmers’ leader Saroj.

“In such situation, necessary help from Government and payment of insurance dues can only save them from financial crunch,” said Sangathan convenor Bibhu Patnaik.

In view of the agitation, massive police forces were deployed in all the 17 places of the district and there are no reports of any untoward incident.

It is learnt that Cooperative Department Secretary of will hold a meeting of the farmers and the insurance companies to break the ice and streamline payments of the farmers.