Now, farmers visiting UP, Bihar to bring labourers

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, June 6

Facing labour shortage in the wake of Covid, state farmers have started going to Bihar and UP in buses to bring labourers for paddy transplantation. Around 60 labourers reached Barnala on Friday.

Ninety more farmers have obtained permission and arranged four more buses to bring labourers in the next two or three days. The trend is picking up in other districts too. “We had sent two buses to Pilibhit in UP and Dhaka Mathari in Bihar. In total, we have spent Rs 1.8 lakh. Both farmers and labourers will share the cost. In two buses, 60 labourers reached Kaire and Channwal villages of district,” said Jagseer Singh Chhiniwal, Barnala district president of BKU Lakhowal.

Sources said in Barnala, 90 farmers had taken permission from the DC to bring labourers from other states. These labourers will be quarantined on arrival and Health Department officers will conduct their tests.

“We have been giving permission with the condition that farmers will first get the tests of labourers done before sending them to their field,” said TPS Phoolka, Barnala DC. “Not all farmers can do this, the Punjab Government should take this responsibility instead,” said Jagjeet Singh Dallewala, president of BKU Sidhupur from Dallewala village in Faridkot.

Farmers said last year, local labourers were charging Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 per acre for paddy transplantation, but this year they were demanding Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,500. Many farmers have even hired rickshaw pullers to work as field labourers.