Crops ripe but farmers not being allowed to go into fields

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, April 9

With harvest season approaching, farmers in Kangra are getting restless about curfew as they are not being allowed to go into their fields to take care of crop.

The problem was more acute in border areas of the district where some farmers and horticulturists are based in Punjab. Surinder Kaler has his land and mango orchards in Fatehpur tehsil of Kangra district.

Kaler said that he had taken a permit from DC, Pathankot, to visit his land. However, policemen at the entrance of the state stopped and did not allow him to enter Himachal.

“I talked and messaged senior officials of the district also but was told that the permits are being issued in Kangra district only for medical emergencies. I am worried that if I do not carry out necessary pesticide spray on my mango orchard the crop might get damaged. It was also unfortunate that Himachal was not honouring the permit issued by the DC for the adjoining district”, he said.

Many farmers, who have their fields at faraway places, are complaining that they are not being allowed to take care of their crop.

DC Rakesh Prajapati said that the government had allowed the farmers to visit their fields during three-hour curfew relaxation every day. More relaxations are likely to be given in the coming days to the farmers, he said.

He also said permits have been given for bringing in fodder and fertilizers.