Villagers being duped by middlemen in Boregaon
   Date :14-Jun-2019

 
By Ashish Das:
 
BOREGAON
 
Sweating hard in the scorching heat, villagers collect sal seeds from the forest to earn their livelihood, but they are forced to sell the seeds at Rs 15-16 per kg only in the hands of middlemen, despite government has already fixed the rate at Rs 20 per kg. Forest Department officials are unaware of the fact how the innocent villagers are duped by middlemen. However, in every village Forest Management Committee has been constituted and these committees are authorised to procure forest produce. On the one hand, government wants to end middlemen and bazaar system and on the other hand, sal seeds are sold in the open market, but tendu leaves are procured by Forest Department.
 
It is apprehended that due to nexus with officials and traders, sal seeds are being sold in the open market. There is only one procurement centre at Farasgaon headquarters, which is also closed. Risking their lives, villagers collect sal seeds. Few days back, a 13-year-old girl had died due to lightning while collecting sal seeds. However, nowadays collection of sal seeds is in progress. With the change in weather, villagers risking their lives collect sal seeds but duped by middlemen.
 
Meanwhile, Forest Department SDO M Patel said that proclamation in every village has been made through kotwars. However, at present only in Farasgaon, a group is procuring sal seeds at government rate. Traders are also buying sal seeds from the market but he was not aware that the sal seeds are being purchased by traders below government rate.
 
On the complaint of sal seed collectors, action would be taken against traders, said SDO. Bastar is known for its dense forest and villagers benefit the most from the forest. From fuel wood to timber wood, dona pattal and several others, villagers obtain from trees. Besides this, the villagers earn good income by collecting sal seeds. The sal seeds are being collected nowadays. But villagers are worried where to sell the forest produce. It is very difficult to take out seeds from sal fruits. The seeds are first dried and thereafter, the seeds are burned. Its peels are cleaned. Now, seeds are ready for selling in the market.