MP CM reviews flood relief operation and fertiliser distribution, issues necessary instructions

Bhopal, Sep 3 (IANS) Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Wednesday held a meeting with senior officials to review the status of fertiliser distribution and availability of stock in several districts, especially where reports of irregularities and shortage were reported in the past few days.

The review meeting held at the Chief Minister's residence was attended by Chief Secretary Anurag Jain and other senior bureaucrats. District collectors joined the meeting through video conferencing and briefed about the availability of fertiliser stock and the process of the distribution system their their respective districts.

During the meeting, Chief Minister Yadav also reviewed the relief operation in the areas affected by heavy rainfall in the past two to three days.

"Chief Minister took stock of the relief operation and fertiliser during the review meeting and issued necessary instructions to the officials," CM Yadav's office said in a statement issued to the press.

The clashes between farmers and local administrations over fertiliser shortages are common, and they often turn violent, prompting police intervention despite the state government’s claims of an adequate stock.

In a fresh instance of violence, protesting farmers in Rewa on Tuesday locked up several government officials, including a Tehsildar, for hours over an alleged shortage of fertiliser, forcing the police to intervene and use mild force to rescue them after dispersing the agitators.

The incident occurred at the Karahiya Mandi fertiliser distribution centre, where farmers were protesting since Tuesday morning over a lack of fertiliser stock and alleged irregularities in the distribution process.

The situation escalated when a group of enraged farmers confined officials from the state’s co-operative marketing federation and revenue officials inside a room for several hours.

“Some farmers locked the Tehsildar, Nayab Tehsildar, and other market officials in a room while they were distributing fertiliser. Upon receiving information, the police arrived at the scene and used mild force to free them by late night,” the Rewa district administration said on Wednesday.

However, fertiliser distribution resumed on Wednesday morning under the supervision of senior revenue and police officials, with heavy deployment of cops to ensure a peaceful process.

“Fertiliser distribution began in the presence of Sub-Divisional Magistrate Vaishali Jain, revenue officials Yashit Shukla and Shankar Shukla, as well as district manager of Markfed Shikha Verma,” Additional Collector Sapna Tripathi, who was present at the site, told IANS.

Rewa district collector also briefed Chief Minister Mohan Yadav during the review meeting on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the opposition Congress has announced to stage a protest in Rewa on Thursday.

--IANS

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