Surprise checks to keep tab on early paddy sowing

PATIALA: To stop farmers from transplanting paddy before the notified date, officials of Punjab agriculture department will visit the fields even as some farmers organizations have announced to gherao them as protest against any possible action.
In several villages across the state, farmers started sowing paddy crop from June 1 even though the government had set the date of June 13. Initially, the state government had set June 20 as the date but chief minister Amarinder Singh, while campaigning, announced to advacne it. Verbal orders were sent to all the departments, including the PSPCL, however, the notification in this regard was yet to be issued.
"Farmers of Punjab are wise enough and they know that early sowing of paddy is leading to water depletion. We are heading towards the situation when there will be no groundwater left in Punjab as every year water table is depleting by 49 cm. For short time benefit, we cannot face long term loss for which our generations will have to pay. We have to follow the rules and regulations and the water reservation act is being strictly implemented since it came into force in 2009," said, Punjab agriculture director Sutantar Singh.
"Our officials will be visiting into the fields and keep making the farmers aware about the norms. The officials visit along with a team of cops and administrative officials and they would tackle every type of situation. Only a small group of farmers issuing threats, which are meaningless. The aware farmers inform us about such violations," he added.
Farmers, however, claim that late sowing of paddy leads to discolouration of their produce while the untimely rains also bring them losses during the nurturing of the crop that takes around four months to be harvest ready.
BKU Dkaunda general secretary Jagmohan Singh said, "Farmers have been facing huge losses and none of governments have done anything to save them from this crisis. All they have done is make false promises. Paddy is being sown in numerous villages of Bathinda, Mansa, and other districts. We too do not want any clash like situation but the government and the administration should also understand our problems."
Sangrur chief agriculture officer Sushil Kumar said, "In 2010, farmers gheraoed me when I reached to uproot their crop sown before schedule time. The farmers took out arms and .12 bore weapon and threatened me to shoot. I got registered FIR against them in Bajak village of Sangat block of Bathinda." He said no incident of any gherao or clash with farmers had been reported in Sangrur so far.