Day after office lock-down Union chairman clarifies
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, October 18 2022: A day after peeved milk farmers locked and sealed office of the Manipur Milk Cooperative Union, its chairman Ch Ramananda clarified that the union has no intention of withholding bill for procuring milk from farmers and that the payment has been delayed due to absence of managing director, whose signature is needed to process the payment.

Addressing a press meet in relation with the closure of the union's office by livestock farmers over pending milk bill, Ramananda said that a special general body meeting of the union was held on July 11 at GM Hall and it was attended by 116 members.

The meeting discussed the instruction of the ministry of fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying to appoint a full-fledged managing director in the payroll of the union.

The meeting then resolved to appoint Dr Ch Nandakishwar, who had remained as director of veterinary and animal husbandry for decades, as the managing director of the union.

Consequently, the union submitted the resolution to the department of cooperation, and directorate of veterinary and animal husbandry requesting to take up necessary steps.

Later, on August 24 and October 10 this year, the 12-member board of directors of the union also adopt the same resolution and recommended to the authority concerned for translating the resolution of the special BG meeting into action.

However, the directorate entrusted additional charge of the union's managing director to the directorate s joint director (Chandel) Dr Kunjamohon on temporary basis on October 12.Amid this situation, cattle farmers levelled allegations of pending milk procurement bill for three months, which is baseless, he said and added that only one month's bill is pending.

He further said that signatures of both the chairman and managing director of the union are needed for transaction of fund.

Ramananda also clarified that he has no intention of withholding the pending bill as'he himself grew up as a farmer and understands the hardships of fanners.

While explaining that appointment of managing director of the union requires a resolution of all the 12 board members and convey about the decision to the Registrar of Cooperative Society (RCS), the chairman also stated that the appointment will become legal only after the department of cooperation gives its approval.

Ramanand also said that the union has been functioning with funding under the National Programme on Dairy Development, and flouting guidelines can result in blacklisting of the union and restriction on pro -viding further funding.

He urged the farmers to understand the situation and cooperate.

On Monday, farmers affiliated to Manipur Milk Producers' Co-operative Union Ltd located at Central Dairy Plant, Porompat locked the offices of the Union chairman and Board director over non-clearance of pending bills.

According to one of the farmers, around 250 farmers are affiliated to the Union and they regularly supply milk.

The bills used to be normally cleared after every 10 days in a month.

However, the payment is being made twice a month.

The farmers started facing this issue over the past 6 months owing to the vacancy of the post of the managing director of the Union.

At present, the farmers have not been paid for one-and-half month.

Although the chairman assured of clearing the bills on September 26, no such payment was made.

On October 6, a joint meeting of the chairman, board of directors and farmers was convened, wherein it was agreed to accept the first government order for appointment of the managing director.

If any of the members of board were to object, they would be removed.

However, after the government nominated an officer as the managing director (in-charge), the Union called for an approval meeting on Monday.

Instead, the chairman left to avoid attending the meeting, which led to the tension.

Presently 5 members of the Board of directors have accepted the managing director (in-charge) nominated by the government, while the chairman and his followers are playing spoilsport.

Thus, in accordance with the resolutions of an earlier meeting, the chairman must resign on moral ground, the farmer said, while appealing to the government and the authority concerned to look into the matter.

The farmer then cautioned of locking all offices and launching agitations, if no concrete solution is given on clearing the bills of the farmers.

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