New land mapping order: Arhtiyas threaten strike

Chandigarh: Following the Punjab government’s new directions for conducting land mapping of farmers ahead of the paddy procurement season, arhtiyas (commission agents) have threatened to go on strike from October 1.
As per the instructions conveyed to the arhtiyas by the Punjab Mandi Board, action could be taken against them in case of any irregularities in land mapping. As part of the exercise, the arhtiyas will have to take a self-declaration letter from the farmer.
"After submission of land details, an OTP will be sent to the cultivator farmers’ mobile number and the same would be entered by the arhtiyas after getting it from the farmer for final submission. It is compulsory to submit land details of cultivator farmers for paddy, basmati and cotton crops separately," according to the instructions.
Ravinder Singh Cheema, president of the Punjab Arhtiyas Association, said it was for the officials of the revenue department to carry out physical verification of the crop being sown by the farmers and arhtiyas cannot be given the responsibility.