Farmers’ union ‘exposes’ claims of agriculture officials

Our Correspondent

Tarn Taran, June 16

In an embarrassment to the Agriculture Department, the Kisan Sangharsh Committee (KSC), Punjab, has rubbished the former’s claim that the paddy transplanted by certain farmers in different villages was destroyed with police assistance. A news about it has been published in the media wherein agriculture officials claimed that the paddy transplanted by one Mangal Singh of Nandpur village, besides three others, had been destroyed as it was in violation of the state government’s order prohibiting paddy plantation before June 20.

Sawinder Singh Chutala, a leader of the KSC, along with others said the officials concerned had been telling a lie. The paddy crop in the fields of Mangal Singh in Nandpur village is still there and the workers of the organisation had been watching it day and night, they said. The committee leaders said the decision was taken at the state-level conference of the organisation at Chabba village and the farmers had decided to plant paddy from June 10 to which they were implementing.

The leaders said the farmers should not be misled by the propaganda of the government as the KSC was firm on its decision to plant paddy from June 10.

When contacted, Chief Agriculture Officer Kirpal Singh Dhillon didn’t comment on it. He said action would be taken against erring farmers.