Farmers in Haryana hold protest over short supply of DAP fertiliser
Farmers held a protest at Hansi, with one of the protesters sitting on an indefinite fast over alleged shortage of the DAP. In Charkhi Dadri and Shahabad in Kurukshetra, long queues were witnessed on Monday as farmers waited for hours to purchase the fertiliser.
A group of farmers owing allegiance to Bharatiya Kisan Union on Monday held a protest at Hansi near Hisar against alleged inadequate supply of di-ammonium phosphate fertiliser, as farmers were seen waiting in long queues in couple of Haryana districts to get the DAP.
Farmers held a protest at Hansi, with one of the protesters sitting on an indefinite fast over alleged shortage of the DAP. "There is a shortage of DAP. If adequate supply is not ensured at the earliest, our protest will continue like this," a protesting farmer told reporters at Hansi.
He said due to “shortage” of DAP fertiliser amid Rabi season, farmers have to wait for hours daily in front of offices of cooperative societies and outlets of private dealers to get the fertiliser.
In Charkhi Dadri and Shahabad in Kurukshetra, long queues were witnessed on Monday as farmers waited for hours to purchase the fertiliser. There were reports that farmers also blocked a road on Mahendergarh-Rewari route for a brief period to protest inadequate availability of the fertiliser. Some farmers had allegedly forcibly taken away over 100 bags of DAP fertilisers lying outside a shop of a private dealer in Mahendergarh district's Ateli town a few days ago.
Opposition parties have alleged that farmers are running from pillar to post as there is a shortage of DAP. In a couple of districts including Charkhi Dadri, the fertiliser was being distributed to farmers from police stations under strict watch of the cops. The state government has maintained that there is no shortage of the fertiliser. Last week, Haryana Agriculture Minister JP Dalal had claimed that there is no shortage of DAP fertiliser in the state and added that black marketeers are trying to project an artificial shortage.
Earlier on Sunday, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar held a meeting to review the availability and demand of DAP. Khattar had said that although DAP fertilizer available in the market this year is 1,100 metric tons more in quantity than last year, yet in view of the demand of farmers, he spoke to Union Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Mansukh Mandaviya over phone on Sunday and urged the central minister for six additional (train) rakes of the fertilisers and the Centre has agreed to it, an official statement had said.
Chief Minister Khattar had asserted that there will be no shortage of DAP fertilisers in the state. Directions had also been given by the chief minister to take strict action on the borders of the state to keep check on black marketing of DAP fertilisers from Haryana to other states, it said.
