DAP being diverted to poll-bound area: SKM

Farmer unions under the banner of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) have accused the district administration of showing bias in the distribution of DAP fertiliser, alleging that the entire quota was allotted to the Tarn Taran constituency, while co-operative societies in other parts of the district were left waiting for supplies. The unions have demanded an immediate inquiry into the alleged irregularities and warned of an intensified protest if corrective action was not taken.

According to SKM leaders, despite several written complaints and meetings with the Deputy Commissioner, DAP fertiliser continued to remain unavailable to farmers. "We were told every day that the fertiliser would reach the societies soon, but when the fresh stock finally arrived, Markfed officials informed us that it was reserved only for the Tarn Taran constituency," they said.

The farmer leaders further alleged that some cooperative societies which were defaulters were also given DAP fertiliser, in some cases even more than what they had requested, while other societies across the district were turned away empty-handed. They claimed that this selective distribution had caused anger and confusion among farmers who were preparing their fields for sowing wheat.

Just two days earlier, members of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha had staged a protest outside the Deputy Commissioner's office demanding transparency in fertiliser distribution. The leaders said that the administration's silence showed it was acting under political pressure from the ruling party and ignoring the Model Code of Conduct that is in place for the ongoing by-election.