Chandigarh, November 7
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab Kisan Wing state president and MLA Kultar Singh Sandhwan alleged, “Due to severe shortage of DAP fertilizer in Punjab, while the fertilizer dealers are doing black-marketing; wheat sowing is lagging behind. This will have a devastating effect on the economy of the state and the farmers.” He blamed the Modi-led central government and the Channi government of Punjab for the unforeseen shortage of DAP fertilizer and termed this deliberate crisis as a deep conspiracy against the farmers and Punjab.
In a statement issued from the party headquarters here on Sunday, MLA Kultar Singh Sandhwan said, “The bad intentions and policies of the central and Punjab government, which claim to be benevolent to the farmers, have come to the fore again as Punjab is facing a severe shortage of DAP fertilizer for Rabi crops, especially wheat. While the Union government has delayed the supply of fertilizer to Punjab under a well thought out conspiracy, the Congress government of Punjab has failed in arranging fertilizer on time.”
He said that in Punjab Rabi crops like wheat, potato, fodder etc are sown immediately after the harvest of paddy and the DAP fertilizer is very much required for the sowing of these crops; but by not providing adequate supply, the Union government is taking revenge with Punjab and its farmers. Sandhwan said that 5.5 lakh tonnes of DAP was required for sowing Rabi crops in Punjab, however, the central government released 1.97 lakh metric tonnes of fertilizer in October and 2.56 lakh metric tonnes in November, which was 1 lakh metric tonnes less than the requirement.
The AAP leader alleged that the Punjab government could not even get the fertilizer issued by the centre. According to the official data, there is a shortage of about 1.50 lakh metric tonnes of fertilizer in the state. Sandhwan further said that it was the responsibility of the Narendra Modi-led central government to supply fertilizer to Punjab which the Union government had failed to fulfill. He alleged that the Modi government was targeting the annadatas of Punjab with a sense of revenge; so that the farmers of Punjab could be punished for raising the flag against the black farm laws of the Modi government.
Criticizing the Channi government, Kultar Singh Sandhwan said that the Punjab government was constantly failing to meet the public issues and farming related needs due to infighting as the Punjab government had failed to provide DAP fertilizer in a timely manner. He said that due to non-availability of full supply of DAP and failure of Punjab government to make proper arrangements, black marketing has increased in the state. As a result, the pressure on the farmers is increasing and they are being forced to pay Rs 200 to 300 more per bag. Sandhwan demanded that the Union and Punjab government should make arrangements for DAP fertilizer in the state as soon as possible, so that the farmers of the state could sow the Rabi crops on time.
