LOUSHAL criticised the state government’s present fertilizers distribution system. It urged the state government to rectify the system, which has caused tremendous hardships to the farmers.
TFM Desk
In a tragic incident, a farmer died due to a road mishap on his way to district agriculture office in Porompat to get a bag of subsidised fertilisers. Another person who went along with the deceased is reportedly in a critical condition.
The deceased has been identified as one Huidrom Bebekananda (21), son of H Sanatomba of Huidrom Khun, Lamlai assembly constituency and the injured as Huidrom Reddy (20).
According to a source, the mishap occurred in Chingarel Tezpur area in the wee hours of August 11, when Bebekananda and Reddy rushed to join the queue for fertilizer at the District Agriculture Office, Porompat. Bebekananda left the home around 11:30 pm with copies of aadhaar card, four pattas and Rs 1000 in cash. Bebekananda reportedly died on the spot while Reddy sustained injuries and was rushed to a hospital.
Though agriculture minister O Lukhoi and the Agriculture Department assured to provide enough fertizers to the farmer during khariff season, many farmers complained of unavailability of fertilisers. As their paddy fields required timely application of fertilizers, farmers are compelled to stand in serpentine queues for hours from night for a bag of urea fertiliser at the district headquarters.
Meawhile, Loumee Shinmee Apun Lup (LOUSHAL) has expressed grief and sorrows over the death of a farmer for a bag of urea fertiliser. A team from LOUSHAL visited the family of the deceased. The farmers’ body, in a release, urged the state government to look after the young widow and their eight months old child. It also urged the government to help Reddy who is in hospital.
Criticising the State government’s fertilizers distribution system, LOUSHAL urged the state government to rectify its present system which has caused tremendous hardships to the farmers.
The farmers’ body maintained that it has been urging the state government and concerned department to distribute the fertilisers in a way which does not cause inconvenience to the farmers. Instead of just distributing at district agriculture offices, fertilizers should be made available at all block level, it said.
LOUSHAL also contended that it would be more convenient for the farmers to obtain a bag of fertiliser at just Rs 800 from the nearest dealer. Since the daily wage of skilled labour is Rs 570, and a farmer has to spend two days to get a bag of fertiliser at the subsidised rate, the total amount a farmer has to spend comes to around Rs 1,500, it added.
Also Read: