Defying ban, Karnal farmers transplanting paddy

Tribune News Service

Karnal, June 7

Despite the ban, farmers continue to transplant paddy in different parts of the district.

The government has restricted farmers to sow the nursery of paddy before May 15 and not to transplant before June 15, otherwise a penalty of Rs 4,000 per acre will be imposed.

Farmers say they transplant the short-duration paddy variety to cover up the loss incurred in wheat crop due to the early arrival of summer which not only shrunk the wheat grains but also reduced the production by 5-8 quintal per acre.

“We have no option but to transplant the early variety of paddy as it will help us meet the losses incurred during the wheat season due to the early arrival of summer,” said Naresh Kumar, a farmer of the Nilokheri block.

Farmers can be seen transplanting paddy even along the National Highway-44, Indri road, Assandh road, Kachwa road, Kaithal road and other parts of the district.

The Agriculture Department said it had not only issued notices to 44 farmers but imposed a fine of Rs 4,000 per acre each on farmers for violating the guidelines of the state government,” said Aditya Dabas, deputy director agriculture (DDA).

He said paddy had been destroyed in around 30 fields so far in this season. Dabas said teams at the block level had been constituted to monitor the violation.

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