Farmers' body urges Govt to uphold fertiliser vow
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, July 25 2021:
Conveying that farmers in Moirang assembly constituency have been facing the problem of unavailability of urea despite repeated assurances of abundant provision by the agriculture department in the past, Moirang Kendra Apunba Loumee Shinmee Amasung Nupi Lup has urged the state government, the department in particular, to uphold the assurance it made to farmers.
In a statement, the Lup appealed to the department to make necessary arrangements for availing fertiliser to the farmers and not to force the farmers to stand in long queue after travelling long distance amid the surging Covid-19 cases.
It urged the DAOs to give up the habit of withholding fertiliser but to ensure adequate availability to the farmers.
The statement further said that they are told by district officials that there is no stock of fertiliser in the district office, and the DAO also told them that he cannot give a proper timeline for replenishing the stock.
Earlier, the department made repeated assurances on multiple occasions to ensure adequate availability of fertiliser for farmers.
However the farmers, who are already facing severe hardships due to rainfall deficit, are now facing shortage of fertiliser.
Despite having two canals of Loktak Lift Irrigation, the farmers are facing water shortage and the department concerned is taking no interest in this regard despite multiple requests from the farmers.
Reacting against a statement of Loktak Lift Irrigation Farmers' Development Committee Bishnupur, which claimed of being able to supply irrigation water through the low canal up to 8 km, the organisation said that clubs in the area covered by the canal cannot accept such statement from the committee.
It then demanded the government to repair the canal immediately and supply irrigation water at the earliest before a public movement.