Dwarf disease: Give ₹20,000 relief to affected paddy growers, SAD tells Punjab CM

In a statement here, former minister Daljit Singh Cheema said in many districts of Punjab, dwarfing disease had spread across 20-25% of fields and was likely to result in a drop in paddy yield by at least 10 quintals per acre

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Sunday asked Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann to announce a compensation of ₹20,000 per acre to farmers whose paddy fields were infested with Southern Rice Black Streaked Dwarf Virus.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Sunday asked Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann to announce a compensation of ₹20,000 per acre to farmers whose paddy fields were infested with Southern Rice Black Streaked Dwarf Virus. (ANI image for representational purpose)

In a statement here, former minister Daljit Singh Cheema said in many districts of Punjab, dwarfing disease had spread across 20-25% of fields and was likely to result in a drop in paddy yield by at least 10 quintals per acre. “The government must step in and compensate farmers for this loss,” he added.

Cheema said at some places, the dwarfing disease had completely overtaken the paddy fields as in the case of Nurpurbedi in Rupnagar, where farmers had ploughed standing paddy fields.

“Huge losses due to dwarfing disease will be a catastrophe for farmers who are still coming to terms with the loss of wheat yields to a sudden increase in temperatures in March as well as subsequent losses sustained in sowing moong crop, which was not procured despite promises made by the chief minister.”