Farmer returns award to protest administration's apathy

A farmer from Marathwada region of Maharashtra has returned the state government's award for excellence in agriculture to protest the alleged apathy of the district administration in redressing his grievance.

Vitthal Kale, who hails from Latur district, said he had returned the award that he had in 2001. He returned the citation and a silver medal, and gave a cheque of Rs 10,000 drawn in favour of the Chief Minister's relief fund.

Kale said he had drawn the authorities' attention to the bogus seeds supplied by a private seeds company, but no action was initiated.