Whitefly epidemic result of system failure : The Tribune India

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Whitefly epidemic result of system failure

Punjab had a well-tried, perfect system of handling the use of chemicals, including fertilisers and pesticides, in the agriculture sector.

Whitefly epidemic result of system failure

The Agriculture Department must recommend only pesticides cleared by PAU. Farmers with the cotton crop hit by the whitefly attack, at Bhaloor village, Moga. Tribune Photo



S.S Johl

Punjab had a well-tried, perfect system of handling the use of chemicals, including fertilisers and pesticides, in the agriculture sector. This was till the beginning of the 21st century. No seed or chemical, including fertilisers and pesticides, was allowed to be promoted, bought and supplied or sold to the farmers by the government in the state unless the Punjab Agricultural University had thoroughly analysed, tested and recommended it. The Department of Agriculture could not even think of buying any pesticide without the clear recommendation of the University. 

When I was Director of Research in the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, in 1981, the Punjab government wanted to purchase a certain insecticide for controlling cotton boll worm. The University did not recommend the pesticide because of its ineffectiveness on the insect and due to its enhancing affect on aphid attack on the crop. Naturally, the farmers too did not favour this pesticide. Under political pressure, I was virtually hauled up and had to appear before the Financial Commissioner at Chandigarh. When, along with a couple of concerned scientists, I went to Chandigarh, the Financial Commissioner was in a stormy meeting with senior officers of the Agriculture Department. We were bombarded with irrelevant questions. Even the relevance of the University was questioned and it was termed as an unnecessary adamber!  When we stood our ground, they tried to overawe us by telling us that the Chief Minister was satisfied with this pesticide and how come the University had not recommended it. We tried to explain the system of testing and how it was based on the mandatory clearance by the university research committee before any recommendation could be made. 

When the  financial Commissioner Development did not relent and asserted his authority, I had to retort, “If you have all the authority, then go ahead at your own risk and may be at your peril! Why do you want to drag the University into this unholy deal?” A few more pressure tactics and blushes, yet the stubborn bureaucratic  stance had to yield and the system could not be bypassed and  the pesticide purchased. Testing requirements and final clearance or recommendation procedures at that time were so stringent that even within the University no one could bypass or side-track the system. A couple of times, even a Vice Chancellor had to retrace his steps. Once the VC entered into a deal with a company to buy one quintal of herbicide and even persuaded a professor to make a recommendation. The case was labelled “very urgent” because the chemical was supposedly to be imported from the USA. I was told that the herbicide had been already airlifted. The Comptroller of the University could not give clearance to the proposal because the research committee and Director of Research were being bypassed. Ultimately, the furious Vice Chancellor had to retrace his steps when he was told in a hurriedly called meeting that it was degenerated material that had been lying with the company and was not being airlifted. It was a clear case of corruption amounting to more than Rs two lakh. 

Once under political pressure, a resourceful person, well-connected to the powers that be, wanted to sell sugar mill mud as a fertiliser and wanted the university to recommend this waste. He further wanted it to be buffered with some inert material. When analysed, no nitrogen, phosphorus or potash nutrients were found in it. What a plan it was! To sell dirt as fertiliser to the farmers. Yet, the parameters of the system thwarted the effort at hoodwinking the farmers.

The University holds biennial workshops for senior technocrats and officers of the Department of Agriculture to apprise them of the latest research in various fields. Based on these research outputs and extensive discussions, they finalise the packages of practices. These include the varieties recommended for different regions of the state and agronomic as well as plant protection practices and materials to be used for every crop of the Rabi and Kharif seasons. 

The Department of Agricultural Extension Services is not supposed to go beyond these recommendations. The University Extension Education service at the district level remains constantly in touch with the Department technocrats. The subject matter specialists serve as resource persons in the training courses and workshops organised by the Department. This link-up provides field-level feedback to the University. The system is so perfect that, if meticulously followed, its parameters would not permit any deviation. In the whitefly epidemic, the system has been totally bypassed with impunity. 

The only redeeming feature is that the Punjab government has announced compensation for the loss of the farmers, although the level of compensation is totally inadequate. Yet, financially it may not be possible for the state to go beyond this level due to severe financial constraints. It is a fit case for the Centre to step in and at least match up to 50 per cent additional contribution —not only for Punjab, but also to the affected areas of Haryana and Rajasthan. The nation cannot afford to leave the farmers to their fate. If this is done, it will be inviting disaster for country.

No one, at whatever position he or she may be, and has been either involved or shown any laxity that has resulted in this disaster, should be spared. It is preposterous to give a clean chit offhand to anyone without a thorough investigation. 

The writer is  the Chancellor, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda

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