more-inSocial forestry growers, who have been agitating for the last two years for a remunerative price, now have a reason to smile as the State government has conceded a majority of their demands. It is heartening that the government has agreed to both the demands,” Prakasam District Development Forum president Ch. Ranga Rao says while referring to the government’s decision to do away with the district-wise pricing policy by withdrawing GOs 143 and 493. Social forestry growers were up in arms against the paper mills for allegedly hammering prices of eucalyptus and subabul to press their demand for restoring the pre-eminent position of the AMCs and sale of logs only through AMC-designated weigh bridges. The government, which brokered the agreement between paper mills and farmers on the market price at periodic intervals, should also take responsibility for ensuring that it is implemented by paper mills , Congress ryots’ wing president V. Rajagopala Reddy says.

Source: The Hindu December 01, 2017 18:45 UTC