Malkangiri /10th Sept 2025: Protesting the shortage of urea fertilizer, farmers blocked National Highway 326 near Maharajpalli Panchayat in Kalimeila block of Malkangiri district, bringing traffic to a complete standstill.
Farmers were outraged that while some panchayats were receiving fertilizer, Maharajpalli Panchayat had not received any supply yet. Condemning this disparity, they blocked the highway for five hours, demanding an immediate and fair distribution.
Earlier, there had been similar road blockades in Pusuguda Panchayat, where urea was being sold at inflated prices. The issue of black marketing of urea and its sale at prices higher than the government-fixed rate has led to growing public discontent.
In a previous incident near the forest department office in Pusuguda, NH-326 was also blocked by farmers due to the fertilizer crisis. However, at that time, a LAMPS officer from Maharajpalli Panchayat intervened, calmed the farmers, and they lifted the blockade.
Similar roadblocks had also been seen in Mathili, Kalimela, and Podia in recent days. But today’s blockade by the people of Maharajpalli Panchayat raises a pressing question:
Why are farmers still not receiving urea fertilizer?