Faridkot farmers visit Seechewal village

As many as 40 progressive farmers from the Faridkot district did a tour of Seechewal village to study the Seechewal model. The farmers’ delegation met environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal under Amandeep Singh Keshav, Project Director, Atma. Seechewal told the farmers that since 1999, every drop of dirty water in the village was being recycled and used for farming. He said this was also going a long way in achieving the dream of organic farming. It also saved farmers’ expenses on manure. He said this was also relieving the village of pollution. Seechewal exhorted farmers to take to community and organic farming. He said that the langar being served at the Nirmal Kutia was being prepared with organic dals, vegetables and fruits. The delegation was also presented with plants at the Sant Avtar Singh Yadgari Nursery. The farmers also studied state’s first treatment plant AMDE at the village. Rattan Singh Sodhi, facilitator Faridkot, Bhupesh Joshi, Deputy Project Director Atma Faridkot, Yadwindwr Singh, block technology manager Sultanpur Lodhi, Ravinder Singh, Sukhpal Singh, Lovedeep Sharma, Sukhdeep Singh and Jasdeep Singh were present among others.

EO, Sanitary Inspector caught taking bribe

The EO of the Sultanpur Lodhi Nagar Council office was caught taking bribe on Friday. The vigilance team raided the council office on Friday wherein the EO and a sanitary inspector were caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000. The vigilance team took both the employees into its custody and started further proceedings. Complainant Vicky, a resident of Rishi Nagar at Sultanpur Lodhi, said his mother was working as a safai sewak in the council and had retired on March 31, 2020. He said for taking her pending four months’ salary from the council, the EO and sanitary inspector sought Rs 30,000 and Rs 28,000, respectively. He said while his mother’s salary due for four months was Rs 1.59 lakh, he paid Rs 10,000 on July 8 and was to pay Rs 15,000 on Friday. He said he made a complaint regarding the same to the vigilance department Kapurthala. After which the teams today caught them red-handed.

Drip irrigation to save water

Secretary Agriculture Department Dharminder Sharma toured and reviewed various works ongoing under the land and water conservation department in the district. Encouraging farmers to take up drip irrigation, he exhorted farmers to make efforts to revive groundwater level so that reduction in its level can be stopped. He asked farmers to install drip irrigation systems for orchards and vegetable cultivation to avail up to 90 per cent subsidy for the same. He informed that as per underground pipelines and the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojna, micro sprinklers, drip irrigation and rain gun irrigation schemes were also working. He reviewed the drip irrigation orchard at Bhainwind village in which the farmer broke from the traditional crop cycle norms as well. The secretary said orchards, gardens, vegetable, pulses cultivation be given increased priority by farmers. This will also help save 40 to 60 per cent water and also increase output by 10 to 20 per cent. Regional Research Institute Director Dr Paramjit Singh among others were also present on the occasion. TNS