SAD starts helpline for farmers suffering loss of paddy crop

Announcing its support to the farmers whose paddy crops were being ploughed by Punjab Agriculture Department for sowing before June 20 deadline, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Thursday launched a helpline for their help.

At the same time, the party has also asked its senior as well as district leadership to forcefully oppose the Congress Government’s move across the state.

“SAD has created a helpline with number 98153-99333 which would become operational on Thursday evening so that a concerted effort could be made to stop persecution of farmers for transplanting paddy as per the traditional guidelines,” said the former minister and SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia.

“Our senior as well as district leadership will rush to all spots brought to our notice and we will not let any farmer field be re-plowed in the name of a dictatorial order restricting paddy transplantation before June 20,” he said.

Majithia said that it was shameful that an elected government was riding roughshod over farmers by passing one-sided orders without even understanding the reasons why they wanted to transplant paddy as per traditional guideline of June 10.

“The Congress government does not believe that anndaata, who is feeding the nation and working in extreme heat wave conditions to produce food grain, has valid reasons to starting transplanting paddy from June 10, even as its ministers make arrogant and dictatorial pronouncements from the comfort of their air-conditioned rooms,” he said.

Majithia announced that the SAD, however, respects the sentiments of the farmers, understands that they are in deep distress and will rescue them from the ongoing persecution launched against them by the Congress government.

Citing reasons for starting paddy transplantation by June 10, he said that the foremost was the fact that all arrangements had been tied up around this date, paddy nursery had been sown as per this date and even labour contracts done with migrant labour.

“Delaying transplantation by 10 days gives crop less time to ripen and effects yields. It also ensures there is more moisture content making it difficult to sell. Also, farmers who want to fit in a third crop by sowing paddy in time will be hit,” he said while asking the Congress government to clarify whether it will compensate farmers for increase in labour costs due to reduction in paddy transplantation window, loss of yield, loss due to failure to cultivate a third crop and also assure that moisture laden paddy will be procured.

Condemning the Congress Government for threatening farmers that their crop would not be procured if they sowed paddy before June 20, Majithia said that the government had already practiced deceit with farmers by refusing to honour its commitment to waive off their entire Rs 90,000 crore loans.

“This has led to more than 450 farmers committing suicide. Actions like destroying paddy which has been sowed after incurring a huge input cost are only aimed at further adding to this number,” he added.