Farmers threaten stir over curbs on paddy cultivation

Tribune News Service

Kurukshetra, May 13

Unhappy with the government decision of restricting paddy cultivation, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) has threatened to launch an agitation and called a kisan panchayat on May 15 in Shahabad grain market to decide the future course of action.

Rakesh Bains, spokesman of BKU (Charuni), said “We strongly oppose the Haryana Government’s decision of restricting paddy cultivation in 19 blocks. The government has put the entire blame for depleting water table on farmers, which is wrong. It has denotified Dadupur Nalvi canal, even when it is vital for recharging groundwater. There are flooded areas where no crop, except paddy, can be cultivated. The transplantation work will start from June 15 and we don’t have much time, thus it has been decided to hold a kisan panchayat.”

Meanwhile, the rice millers’ association has also come out in support of the farmers and has appealed to the state government to withdraw its decision.

Jewel Singla, chairman of the association, said “The decision taken by the government wouldn’t only affect the farmers but will hit the rice industry too. The government has asked the farmers to grow maize, but its demand is very poor in the market. The government should make efforts to bring SYL water rather than putting restrictions on paddy cultivation.”