Hindustan Times (Bathinda)

Why are farmers and govt on collision course?

- Gurpreet Singh Nibber gurpreet.nibber@hindustant­imes.com

CHANDIGARH: On recommenda­tions of Punjab Agricultur­al University, the state government has fixed June 20 for start of paddy transplant­ation this time, postponing it by five days vis-a-vis last year. This has ignited opposition from farmers, but the government is acting tough on those who are transplant­ing saplings into the water-filled fields before the announced date. Officials of the agricultur­e department, assisted by police, are flattening such fields and have threatened to cut off power connection­s to the tubewells. HT dissects the issue:

WHY IS GOVT INSISTING ON PADDY SOWING NOT BEFORE JUNE 20?

The main objective is to save subsoil water, says the government, which this year, too, has set a target of 28.5 lakh hectares under paddy. Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) chairman Kahan Singh Pannu says that the postponeme­nt (from June 15 last year to June 20 this time) will save 24 lakh million litres of water, which farmers would have otherwise pumped out through 14 lakh tubewells in five days.

WHY ARE FARMERS UP IN ARMS?

Farmers are apprehensi­ve that the five extra days will lead to delayed maturing of crop and fall in yield; and then the grain will have higher moisture content (than the acceptable norm of 17%), making it difficult to sell. “The paddy variety PUSA-44 grown by most farmers in the state takes 130 days to ripen. If transplant­ed on June 20, the harvest will be delayed till late October, when the night temperatur­es falls,” says Balbir Singh Rajewal, president of a faction of Bharatiya Kisan Union.

HOW WILL THE DECISION TO DELAY KHARIF CROP AFFECT RABI CROPS?

Farmers fear the delay will tinker with the cropping pattern — wheat sowing, for which the ideal period is November 10-20, will too get delayed. “Delayed paddy harvest leaves even shorter window for rabi crops. Potato is sown in mid-october; but, with paddy still in the fields, the farmers can’t sow potato,” says Rajewal. In 10 years from 2008, paddy transplant­ation has been pushed by 10 days. In 2008, the state government mandated through a law not to sow paddy before June 10. The PAU vice-chancellor has said the plan was to start transplant­ing paddy by July 1, when the monsoon sets in so as to use rainwater.

ARE SHORTERDUR­ATION PADDY VARIETIES AVAILABLE?

Contrary to what farmers say, PAU says it has developed two varieties that grow in shorter durations and consume less water. “PR-126 has four-week shorter growing span. The other is PR-121 that has a span two weeks shorter than PUSA-44,” says PAU V-C BS Dhillon. He rejects PUSA-44 variety as “redundant”. Pannu says, “In the debate, we shouldn’t forget that the effort is to save subsoil water which is receding by 2.5 feet every year. The farmers should support the government on this.”

HOW IS THE GOVERNMENT TACKLING DEFIANCE BY FARMERS?

As farmers in some pockets (Muktsar, Rampura Phul, Talwandi Sabo, Sunam and Bathinda) have defied the orders by transplant­ing paddy before the announced date, the government has ordered uprooting. Farmers also have to pay penalty of Rs 10,000 per hectare. The agricultur­e directorat­e has asked the Punjab State Power Corporatio­n Limited (PSPCL) to snap connection­s of tubewells owned by the defiant farmers. Farmers have launched protests and are demanding 12-hour power supply for tubewells.

HOW ARE POLITICIAN­S REACTING?

Main opposition Aam Aadmi Party has not taken a stand, while Shiromani Akali Dal’s president Sukhbir Singh Badal, a former deputy chief minister, has called the postponeme­nt “a government conspiracy to save subsidised power”. The state gives free power to farm tubewells, and thus wants to limit their use and instead have the rainy season take care of paddy’s water needs, it is argued. Sukhbir further says that the state government is only concerned about its benefit and not of the farmers, “who will lose out because of higher moisture due to delayed harvest”. So far, the government has not reacted to Sukhbir’s contention.

ON CUE FROM PAU, GOVT SET JUNE 20 AS STARTING DATE FOR PADDY SOWING, DELAYING BY 5 DAYS VISAVIS LAST YEAR

 ?? HT FILE ?? As farmers in some pockets (Muktsar, Rampura Phul, Talwandi Sabo, Sunam and Bathinda) have defied the orders by transplant­ing paddy before the announced date, the government has ordered uprooting.
HT FILE As farmers in some pockets (Muktsar, Rampura Phul, Talwandi Sabo, Sunam and Bathinda) have defied the orders by transplant­ing paddy before the announced date, the government has ordered uprooting.

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