Haryana farmers begin paddy transplantation ahead of schedule; authorities issue fines
KARNAL: Defying government orders prohibiting transplantation of paddy before June 15, many farmers in northern districts of the state have already started sowing seedlings of the water guzzling crop.
Farmers say they cannot wait till June 15 to transplant the paddy as their nurseries were already ready and last week’s rainfall had helped them start transplantation.
Authorities say defaulting farmers are being served notices and fined ₹4,000 per acre. However, no checks were seen on ground level as transplantation is in full swing in the several villages in vegetable growing belts, which include Indri and Gharaunda block of Karnal district, Babain, Ladwa and Shahbad block of Kurukshetra district and Radaur block of Yamunanagar district.
Officials in Karnal say notices have been served to around 50 farmers, especially in Darar, Ramba, Kheri Mann Singh, Kharajpur, Nalvi Khurd, Samora, Bazidpur, Nasirpur, and Nalvi Kalan villages, which are also notorious for burning crop residue. In Kurukshetra and Kaithal districts, the agriculture department has issued notices to only two farmers each for violation of the Soil Water Conservation Act, 2009.
Karnal deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav has said strict action will be taken against defaulting farmers and their crop will be destroyed, but no action has been taken so far.
“We have to plant early varieties that will be harvested in the first week of September, after which we will be able to grow vegetables and get good prices for them,” said a young farmer from Ramba village of Karnal.
Farmers taking advantage of farm agitation: Officials
Officials say, this year, farmers are taking advantage of the ongoing agitation against the contentious agricultural laws and had the backing of farmer unions. A senior official from the state agriculture department, pleading anonymity, said the incentive scheme for diversification launched last year did not evoke a good response from farmers.