Despite stir, farmers continue to face humiliation; get paltry relief--Govt hands out Rs 11, Rs 28 & Rs 44 as compensation to cotton growers

Despite stir, farmers continue to face humiliation; get paltry relief

Govt hands out Rs 11, Rs 28 & Rs 44 as compensation to cotton growers

Archit Wattts

Tribune News Service

Gidderbaha, October 12

While the protesting farmers’ unions have been demanding Rs 40,000 per acre compensation for their losses caused due to whitefly attack on cotton crop, the state government has handed out compensation as low as Rs 11 to Rs 44 to them in Muktsar district.

The district administration today disbursed compensation among farmers at Kauni village in Gidderbaha subdivision, which led to resentment among farmers.

The revenue officer (patwari) handed over cash amount of Rs 11, Rs 28 and Rs 44 to some of farmers. On the other hand, some politicians got cheque of big amount.

As a result, some farmers even refused to accept the meagre compensation saying that the state government had rubbed salt on their wounds.

Sadhu Singh, a farmer, said, “I had sown cotton crop on three kanals. However, the administration handed over me just Rs 28 as compensation. I am even unable to think of what to do with this amount.”

Further, as per the list, the administration decided to give just Rs 11 to one Mahinder Kaur, who did not come to take this so little compensation.

Charan Dass, patwari of Kauni village, said, “The assessment of losses has been done after the physical verification of fields and revenue records. Those getting little amount as compensation have more than one owner as per the revenue records. The compensation amount has been divided among them, so it looks less.”

The state government is giving compensation to the farmers on the basis of Rs 8,000 per acre.

However, this is not the first time when the farmers got so little compensation. Earlier, they had received meagre amount in compensation for damage due to rain.

Courtesy: The Tribune

18% students ill in Muktsar district

Health authorities checked 8,750 students of 86 schools and 68 anganwadi centres in the district and 1,541 were found to be ailing

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, October 4

About 18 per cent of students in government schools, anganwadi centres checked under the School Health Programme by the health authorities have been found to be affected with one or more diseases in Muktsar district.

 Data of August states that the health authorities checked as many as 8,750 (4,603 girls, 4,103 boys) students of 86 schools and 68 anganwadi centres in the district and 1,541 were found to be ailing.

 As man as 657 such students belong to the Lambi block, followed by 288 from Alamwala block, 279 from Chak Sherewala block, 205 from Muktsar block and 112 from Doda block.

Of these, 1,111 were referred to Civil Hospitals and the rest were treated at the Community Health Centres (CHCs).

 The district administration, however, claimed that none of them had any major disease. Notably, officials of the health department conducted tests for anaemia, eyes, ears, respiratory problems, among others.

Jaspal Monga, Deputy District Education Officer, Muktsar, claimed, “Basic health tests of students are conducted in routine by health officials. Those detected with some disease are referred to a hospital and their parents are informed. There is no major health problem to any student.”

Courtesy: The Tribune

Road opposite CM’s residence caves in

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Badal (Muktsar), October 9

The frequently caving in of Badal village road, which leads to the Chief Minister’s residence, has exposed the functioning of the Water Supply and Sanitation Department.

Notably, efforts were made in the past to repair the recently laid sewerage system in the village, but nothing has changed.

Speaking volumes about the alleged poor quality of construction material used in laying the sewerage system about two years ago, the road has now once again caved in from various points.

Officials concerned have even faced the wrath of the Chief Minister in the past, yet the situation remains unchanged.

Residents of the village said, “If the authorities concerned have failed to lay the sewerage system properly here, what will be the situation in other parts of the state? They have dug up the road for repair work a number of times, but that too did not work.”

A number of date palm trees transplanted on the roadsides too have dried up here.

“The quality of all recently completed or ongoing development works in the Lambi Assembly segment should be probed as the officers are least bothered about maintaining the standards of development works in an attempt to complete it before the deadline,” a villager said.

Repeated attempts to contact Parmod Chand, Executive Engineer, Water Supply and Sanitation Department, Malout, proved futile.

Courtesy: The Tribune

Wheat procured by Punsup rots in Malout

Wheat procured by Punsup rots

The damaged wheat in Malout on Tuesday. Tribune photo

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Malout, October 6

Tonnes of wheat procured and stored by PUNSUP in its godowns is rotting in open in Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s home district Muktsar due to poor upkeep and lack of proper storage facilities. Now, the PUNSUP authorities, declaring it damaged and unfit for human consumption, have decided to auction it.

During a visit to the two open godowns today on the Dabwali-Dhabh road here, a huge stock of wheat procured by the PUNSUP in 2010-11 and 2011-12 was found getting infested. It was found that not just the bags of wheat were in poor condition, but the granules too had turned black and are being eaten up by birds and insects.

Some labourers there informed that the rainwater had caused damage to the wheat because many a time the bags of wheat were left uncovered. In the past, the ration depot holders in the Gidderbaha subdivision had refused to procure wheat from the PUNSUP, alleging that the agency was supplying them sub-standard wheat.

Courtesy: The Tribune

Scam likely to delay wheat sowing, say officials

Agriculture Dept staff meet CM

• Officials of the department on Friday held a meeting with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in Chandigarh and apprised him of the problems expected to surface in the sowing season, which will begin in a fortnight
• A senior officer said amid the pesticide row, department officials and a majority of the shopkeepers were going underground to save their skin

Atrchit Watts
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, October 9

The tightening of noose around officials of the Agriculture Department and pesticide dealers with regard to the pesticide scam is “likely to delay the sowing of wheat crop” this year. Worried over the situation, some officials of the department today held a meeting with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in Chandigarh and apprised him about the problems expected to come in the next sowing season, which will begin in a fortnight.

A senior officer of the department said they had even appealed to the Chief Minister that no innocent officer or pesticide dealer should be targeted, saying the wheat sowing season would begin from the last week of this month but department officials and a majority of the shopkeepers were going underground to save their skin.

“Private dealers are so harassed that very few of them would sell wheat seed this season. On the other hand, the department provides just about 25 per cent of the total seed required on subsidy. The state government must take some timely steps in this regard,” said a senior officer.

He said due to the current situation, district-level farmers’ awareness camps were also delayed. The department organises such district-level camps in September every year but this year, this is yet to be done in Muktsar district. Similarly, the holding of block-level and village-level camps, too, is getting delayed.

Dr Beant Singh, Chief Agriculture Officer, Muktsar, said, “The camps will be held once the farmers are able to spare some time from the harvest of their paddy crop.”

Department officials are also worried that the whitefly might also cause damage to the wheat crop.

Courtesy: The Tribune

Akali leaders promote dera chief’s movie

Muktsar, October 10

After the Akal Takht pardoned Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, SAD leaders are now not just watching his movie “MSG-2”, but also promoting it.

Kanwarjeet Singh ‘Rozy Barkandi’, SAD’s Muktsar constituency in charge; and Hardeep ‘Dimpy Dhillon’, SAD’s Gidderbaha constituency in charge; this week watched the movie in a multiplex here with their supporters.

Kulwinder Singh, chairman, PUNCOFED, an aide of CM Parkash Singh Badal, too saw the movie today along with people from his village. A senior SAD leader said they were watching the movie following the directions of the senior leadership. — TNS

Courtesy: The Tribune

Fungal diseases in crop worry paddy growers

The paddy crop affected by ‘brown spot leaf’ disease at Jasseana village in Muktsar district. A Tribune photograph

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, October 11

Already bearing the brunt of the whitefly attack on cotton crop, ‘brown spot leaf’ and ‘neck blast’, both fungal diseases have spelled fresh trouble for farmers. Worried, paddy growers have sought the help of the agriculture department to save their crop.

PUSA 1401, also called Muchhal Basmati, is the worst hit from the fungal diseases as compared to PUSA Basmati 1121 and PUSA Punjab Basmati 1509. The crop, which is expected to get ready for harvest in next two to three weeks, has changed its colour, developing black or brown spots on leaves. The neck blast disease is further wilting leaves, killing them prematurely.

“We have sprayed fungicide twice and the crop is expected to mature in the next 15 days. However, it is adversely affected by ‘brown spot leaf’ disease. I visited the agriculture department to get the experts’ advice on saving the crop from the disease. The situation is grim and experts must visit the fields to minimise the losses of farmers,” said Harinder Singh Sidhu, a farmer from Jasseana village.

Experts in the district agriculture office admitted that the fungal diseases had caused damage to the growing paddy crop, especially basmati. An agriculture officer said, “I have recently sprayed fungicide in my own fields to save it from further damage due to ‘neck blast’ disease. At this stage, the neck blast can damage the crop by 10-15 per cent as it stops the growth of panicle. If the crop has to take two or more weeks to get ready for harvest, we are advising famers to spray fungicide in their fields.”

Dr Beant Singh, Chief Agriculture Officer, Muktsar, said: “As many as 16 teams have been formed in the district to advice the farmers. The temperature is four to five degrees above normal, which has caused the problem. We are advising farmers to spray fungicide where the crop will mature after nearly three weeks. If the crop is expected to get ready for harvest in 10-12 days, the spray is not helpful. It will only increase their expenditure.”

Courtesy: The Tribune

SAD leader in Lambi holds dual office

Sahib Singh has been zila parishad member and gram panchayat member for the past two years

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Lambi, October 2

In violation of laws, a SAD leader in CM’ home turf Lambi is holding two posts together and that too for the past more than two years.

Sahib Singh, a native of Khudian Gulab Singh village in the Lambi Assembly segment, is a zila parishad member as well as a gram panchayat member.

As per official records, Sahib Singh, who was elected zila parishad member unopposed from the Fatehpur Manian zone in May 2013, was later elected gram panchayat member from Ward No 1 of Khudian Gulab Singh village in July 2013.

Surprisingly, the district administration is well aware of the fact, but is unable to take any action in this regard.

Sources say Sahib Singh enjoys the patronage of a senior SAD leader of the Lambi area, who is considered close to the ruling Badals, thus nobody seems to be initiating any action against him.

When contacted, SAD leader Davinder Singh, sarpanch of Khudian Gulab Singh village, said, “Sahib Singh is a gram panchayat member from our village. He is also a zila parishad member from Fatehpur Manian. I am not sure whether the government gives permission for this or not.” Similarly, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development), Muktsar, Ramvir Singh, said, “Someone brought this issue to our notice. We have sought opinion of the Director, Rural Development and Panchayats Department.”

But sources claimed the administration was dilly-dallying in giving reply to a RTI query filed in this regard.

However, SS Brar, State Election Commissioner, Punjab, termed it as violation of rules, saying, “If someone informs us about such a person, action will definitely be taken against him/her. It is clear that nobody can hold two elected posts at the same time. He/she has to withdraw from one post.”

A woman from Lalpura village in Gurdaspur had yesterday complained to Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal that Sahib Singh had allegedly duped her of Rs 5 lakh.

Courtesy: The Tribune

At Dy CM’s public meet, woman accuses ZP member of fraud

Tribune News Service
Badal (Muktsar), October 1

A woman from Lalpura village in Gurdaspur district has accused a Zila Parishad member from Fatehpur Manian in Lambi segment of fraud. She was speaking in front of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal during his public meeting hours at his house in Badal village today.

The complainant, in the presence of senior officers of the district administration and SAD leaders, told Sukhbir that Zila Parishad member Sahib Singh had duped her of Rs 5 lakh, after promising her a job for her son about two years ago. “Sahib Singh had told me that he would get a job for my son and took Rs 5 lakh in two installments. I have evidence to corroborate my claim. He even used your name to get the money, claiming that he was very close to you,” said the complainant to Sukhbir. She said her son did not get any job.

Sukhbir has marked a probe to the police, seeking quick action.

Gurpreet Singh Bains, SHO, Lambi police station, said, "The Deputy CM has directed me to investigate the matter. If the accused is found to be guilty, strict action will be taken."

Meanwhile, accused Sahib Singh said, “Since I was not present in the area today, I could not appear before the Deputy CM. I have sought time till Saturday to prove my innocence. This is an attempt of my opponents to malign my image.”

Courtesy: The Tribune