The action which looks like a pre-planned vandalization of the Agriculture office godown at Lamphelpat by mobs numbering 100 fake farmers seems instigated by some dealers. Their body language shows someone is behind them. It looks as if we can’t get Urea in the market, we won’t let other farmers get it easily. Needy farmers will never destroy Urea fertilizers during this crucial season.
Under the strict observations of Agri Minister Th Biswajit, the District Agriculture Office and local MLAs are distributing Urea fertilizers to farmers across every district.
Farmers are satisfied that the price of Urea is controlled this season. Some years ago, Urea is sold at Rs 800-1000 in normal seasons, sometimes, touching 2000 during high-demand seasons.
However, this season, farmers are getting urea at a reasonable price of Rs 320 to 400 delivered at their doorsteps by the representatives of concerned MLAs. The extra Rs 50-60 added to the government rate of Rs 267 per bag is happily accepted by those farmers who have received the Urea, without any hassles.
The allegations that the farmers are running from pillar to post to get a bag of urea fertilizers is a baseless. An inquiry should be done to those mobs who vandalized the godown of the Agriculture office yesterday.
No needy farmers will ever resort to scattering the much-needed Urea on the concrete floor of the office. If they are genuine farmers, they will never let a drop of fertilizer be wasted. In fact, those who instigated the mob do not need fertilizers.
Meanwhile, the new system of distribution of fertilizers by the Agri Department has completely left the Urea Mafia and agents who are the real culprits in harassing the poor farmers.
The government must verify the identity of those agitating mobs and take strict actions against damaging the Urea fertilizers which must be used by the real farmers.
The Government has also constituted a committee to ensure the availability of urea fertilizer in the districts and monitor the distribution of the same to the farmers.
The said committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner of the respective districts with SDOs and District Agriculture Officers as members will regularly submit weekly monitoring reports to the government.
An official condition of anonymity strongly condemned the ugly events saying genuine farmers will never damage the Urea. Needy ones need at least 10-20 kg of Urea fertilizers for their paddy field at these crucial moments. Those who vandalized the godown and damaged over 50 bags of Urea must be fake farmers.
Agriculture Minister Th Biswajit has assured the farmers not to be panicked of shortages of Urea in the State. The State godown is filled with lakhs of urea bags and more are ready to be transported from other states.