Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 29: The Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) today demanded ban on sale of spurious pesticides in the State that has caused losses to the vital fruit industry of the State.
The NC legislator Javed Dar while initiating discussion on the Adjournment Motion brought by him called upon the Government to take all preventing measures to save the horticulture crops from various diseases. He demanded adequate compensation for the orchardists whose crops were damaged due to hailstorm and spurious pesticides. He said that at some places there has been 100 percent loss to the orchards due to hail storm.
Dar called for complete ban on the supply of such chemicals and strict action against the people responsible for sale of these. He suggested constitution of special enforcement squads to keep a close vigil on the market to keep a check on the sale of spurious pesticides to the farmers.
The MLA said that earlier the scab diseases used to get wiped out by spraying the fungicides once and this year even 10 sprays didn’t wipe it out. He said that farmers are suffering huge losses and are unable to pay the debt.
Dar said that enforcement wing of the department has failed to curb the sale of spurious pesticides in the State. He demanded that it needs to be strengthened to save the fruit industry.
The leader of the Opposition in the House and PDP MLA, Abdul Rehman Veeri, described the horticulture as vital sector that has sustained the State in turbulent times. He said that the Government has failed to provide post harvest facilities to the growers leading to their losses. He said that there is no cold storage and growers are forced to sell their produce at cheaper rates and also alleged that government has failed to regulate the carriage rate of the fruit.
Veeri demanded ban on the supply of sub-standard pesticides and action against the culprits responsible for supply of such products. He said that there are only 6 brands of pesticides and fungicides that have been declared of standard but in the market growers are supplied with spurious pesticides and fungicides.
Minister for Higher Education, Mohammad Akbar Lone blamed PDP leader Altaf Bukhari responsible for supplying the spurious pesticides and fungicides and said that he is being protected by Government agencies and PDP.
Independent MLA, Engineer Sheikh Abdul Rashid, demanded time bound enquiry to establish facts about the dealers who supply spurious pesticides to the farmers. He sought strict action against the culprits who are responsible for causing loss to the orchards and adequate compensation to the concerned. He raised the issue of analysts who were transferred and harassed by the Government for testing the spurious pesticides. He said that in North Kashmir 50-70 percent fruit has suffer damage due to scab.
The PDP MLA Basharat Bukhari while expressing his anguish on the issue said that this sector is the mainstay of economy of State and Government should pay due attention to save it. He sought strict action against the spurious pesticide dealers and called upon the Government to ensure quality chemicals for the farmers.
Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen stressed the need for steps to check land conversion from agriculture to other uses. He suggested for framing a new housing policy to save the agricultural land, which he alleged is fast converting in other uses. He also sought more steps to promote horticulture activities in the Valley. He said that the growers who used traditional methods for saving their orchards from diseases have suffered less losses than those who used scientific methods.
The NC MLA from Apple town Sopore, Mohammad Ashraf Ganai expressed concern over the constant decrease in horticulture production and sought appropriate steps to give boost to the production. He advocated for appropriate support price for C-Grade apple to save the marginal farmers. He said that apple quality has gone down over the years and the box which was fetching Rs 600-700 per box is fetching only Rs 200-300.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel