Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, November 12

Though the state government stopped the arrival of paddy at all purchase centres from November 11, the crop is yet to be harvested in many villages of Sangrur and Malerkotla districts owing to high moisture content and re-sowing.

The state government move has multiplied the apprehensions of indebted farmers, who fear private purchasers will make a killing. Many farmers alleged since they were busy in the Delhi protest against the central farm laws, their harvest got delayed.

“The anti-farmer face of the Punjab Government has come to the fore. It should have continued the government purchase to help farmers, who are fighting an indefinite battle against the farm laws. There are many farmers who have not harvested the paddy yet,” said Bhupinder Singh, a farmer leader from Langriya village of Malerkotla. In Sangrur too, many farmers have not harvested their paddy yet. Moonak A and B (180 acres), Salemgarh and Bashera (100 acres each), Surjan Bhaini (60 acres), Rajal Heri (25 acres), Bhunder Bhaini (15 acres) and Hamirgarh and (10 acres each) are the worst-hit villages.

Baldev Singh, a farmer in Moonak, said his standing paddy on 4 acres was destroyed in rain. “I have re-sown the paddy after taking debt. But now, the Punjab Government has halted its purchase and I will be compelled to sell my crop at lower rate to private purchasers. The decision to stop the government purchase will cost dearly to the Congress in the Assembly elections,” he said.

“In many villages, the paddy was destroyed in rain. Farmers had sown the crop again and they have not harvested it. We have decided to launch an indefinite agitation if the government fails to restart the purchase,” said Rinku Moonak, a member of the BKU (Ugrahan).