Sanawad (Madhya Pradesh): The licensed traders in Sanawad Krishi Upaj Mandi are accusing mandi secretary Lakshman Singh Thakur of taking unilateral decisions that violate regulations and disrupt the mandi’s functioning.
In a press conference on Wednesday, traders alleged that Thakur is misleading senior officials and creating disturbance among farmers by referring to a payment dispute involving an unlicensed trader, which is a matter currently under administrative review and outside the mandi's purview.
The traders further claimed they are being subjected to repeated and unnecessary license verifications, which are obstructing dispatches and leading to substantial financial losses. The mandi supports nearly 250 nearby villages, where there are many wage workers and labourers who struggle due to stalled operations.
The trades warned of an indefinite auction boycott if Thakur is not transferred within 20 days.
Responding to the crisis, Mandi Board deputy director Pravina Chaudhary cancelled several unjust penalties and appointed Barwaha Mandi Secretary Yogesh Barve to manage affairs. She emphasised that external trade disputes lie beyond the mandi's jurisdiction and ordered the completion of pending verifications to restore normal functioning.
Mandi secretary Lakshman Singh Thakur said the penalties imposed were strictly by government rules and in the interest of the mandi.
Secretary Thakur explained that in previous years, several traders failed to pay farmers crores of rupees for their produce. Therefore, the mandi has now begun seeking bank statements from traders to ensure that such payment defaults do not occur in the future and that farmers receive timely payments.
