BJP MLA sits on dharna over closure of wheat procurement centre in Ballia

Ballia (UP), May 27 (PTI) BJP MLA Surendra Singh on Thursday sat on a dharna alleging that a government-run wheat purchase centre has been closed despite Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s order to keep them running in the state.

"The purchase centre is closed for the past four days despite the CM's order (to the contrary),” said the MLA from the Bairia assembly segment in the district.

He alleged he even requested Ballia District Magistrate Aditi Singh several times to look into the matter and get resumed the functioning of the wheat purchase centre, but nothing was done.

“I will sit on dharna till it is reopened," said Singh.

The MLA also shared a Facebook post in which one Happy Singh is shown alleging that the procurement centre has been closed and the farmers bringing wheat to it have been forced to keep their food grain sacks in the open, risking their damage due to rains.

Sub Divisional Magistrate Prashant Kumar Nayak, however, said no employee wanted to go to the wheat centre at Sonbarsa where the MLA sat on dharna.

"Action has been initiated against three employees, who are not ready to work at the centre. Of the remaining two, one employee has tested positive for Coronavirus infection and the one has been injured in an accident,” the SDM said.

When contacted, Ballia District Magistrate Singh did not reply to the allegations of the ruling party legislator. PTI CORR ABN RAX RAX