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Farmers hold protest in Bathinda, demand apology from Ravinder Cheema
Members of the Bhartiya Kisan Union-Sidhupur (BKU-Sidhupur) held a protest outside the mini-secretariat here on Wednesday. The protesters demanded apology from Ravinder Cheema, vice-chairman of the Punjab Mandi Board, who recently stated that farmers are committing suicide only to get compensation.
Members of the Bhartiya Kisan Union-Sidhupur (BKU-Sidhupur) held a protest outside the mini-secretariat here on Wednesday. The protesters demanded apology from Ravinder Cheema, vice-chairman of the Punjab Mandi Board, who recently stated that farmers are committing suicide only to get compensation.
The statement was made after a commission agent and his family were booked after a mother-son duo committed suicide in Barnala last month.
The union is also demanding that the government should waive the debt of helpless and poor farmers and labourers, stop auctioning of properties of debt-ridden farmers, increase in compensation in farm suicide cases and tubewell connections for farmers having less than two-and-ahalf acre land.
Whitefly noticed on tree leaves
Whitefly was noticed on tree leaves near the mini- secretariat premises here on Wednesday by the farmers, who were holding a protest here.
Though the pest has no effect on health of trees, but the sudden appearance of whitefly, especially when the cotton-sowing season is at its peak, has put the agriculture department on alert.
Taking no chance, the department immediately rushed a team to the mini-secretariat premises, where farmers first spotted whitefly-attacked leaves on Wednesday. After the whitefly created havoc destroying at least 60% cotton crop last year, the state government had come up with a seven-month-long plan to tackle the menace.
The plan envisaged removal of whitefly-infested weeds along canals, roads, ponds and open spaces across the state.
Baldev Singh, district president of the BKU (Sidhupur), said the appearance of whitefly on tree leaves outside the administrative blocks raised questions over the sincerity of department concerned in tackling the issue.
“We went to show the whitefly-affected leaves to the deputy commissioner, but he was not available in his office. The government must react in time to such signs of the pest so that farmers did not face the brunt of any pest attack this season,” Singh said.
Chief agriculture officer Nachhattar Singh Aulakh said a team of experts was immediately sent to the spot to take the required action.
“We have even asked experts from Punjab Agricultural University to accompany our team on Thursday so that necessary action is taken accordingly. We are not going to adopt any laxity,” he said.
