Raipur: The restrictions imposed on vehicular movement have impacted the life and trade of several people- including smugglers. Those smuggling paddies have had to rack their brains and come up with innovative ideas to continue their trade. The police have caught 2 smugglers while crossing the border from a kutcha road connecting Kandamuda in Odisha between Dhobanmal and Kaithpadar post bordering Nuwapara district. The smugglers were caught using Bullock carts to transport paddy on Tuesday at 2 AM. Bullock Cart riders are earning around Rs 2000 after 4-5 hours of hard work. Reportedly, apart from cart paddy is also being smuggled by cycles.
On the condition of anonymity, the old man riding the bullock cart, told that he has to travel only 4 km. 4 trips of paddy are transferred daily between 10 PM to 3 AM. Load-unloaders are already present at both ends. He is being given 500 rupees for completing a trip carrying 15 sacks at a time summing to 60 sacks are brought in 4 trips. Paddy is being dumped at the Odisha border, which only needs to be crossed from borders.
As vigilance has increased, the middlemen increased the rate of purchase and sale. The paddy, which used to be purchased in Odisha for Rs 1200 per quintal, has been reduced by Rs 100 to Rs 150 saying that the expenditure has increased with the risk of smuggling. Here, people who used to sell from Rs. 1400 to Rs. 1600 are now selling them for Rs 1800 rupees citing risk. The middlemen, who play 4 to 5 trips daily, are now barely able to cross 1 trip after being caught. Therefore, now they are engaged in the pursuit of profit from different means.