Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Apr 19: Hurdles in fetching scores of combine harvester-cum-thrashers from Punjab amidst total lockdown, have added to the worries of farmers in Kathua, Samba and Jammu districts, as this year the seasonal labourers are also not available for harvesting of wheat crop.
Reports from border areas of Kathua and Samba said that the wheat crop is ready for harvesting. Due to country wide lockdown, the seasonal labourers from outside the state like Bihar, UP, Chhattisgarh etc are not available this year for harvesting of the ripe wheat crop. Moreover, the delay in the movement of combine harvesting and thrashing machines from Punjab to J&K has worried the farmers from the border belt of Hiranagar, Rajpura, Marheen, Nagri-Parole, Samba, Vijaypur, Ramgarh, Nandpur belt besides RS Pura and Bishnah sub divisions.
Official sources said that after the harvesting and thrashing activity is completed in Harayana and Punjab, the combine harvesters move towards J&K and Himachal Pradesh. In first and second week of April, the movement of these machines starts towards Kathua and Samba. Scores of machines are engaged by J&K farmers and after completion of this work within three weeks, they move back to Punjab. A mechanic along with spare parts and driver besides an assistant also move with each machine, sources added.
Agriculture Department provided two machines in Kathua and two in Samba while one in Jammu on subsidy basis. The cost of each machine is around Rs 24 lakhs and Rs 8 lakh is the subsidy provided by the Agriculture Production Department. The machine is provided on cluster basis and not to the individuals. About 60 machines are brought on rent basis from Punjab every year in J&K. The drivers/ operators and even spare parts also come from Punjab. The operation of locally available machines also could not be started due to non-arrival of drivers/ operators from Punjab due to lock down, sources said.
A prominent farmer Rajinder Kumar from Marheen area of HiranagarSub Division said that crop is ripe now but no labourers are available for harvesting this time and moreover, movement of combine harvesting machine is not possible due to lock down. He said that about three farmers of his area have applied for passes to DC office Kathua but they have not received yet. Moreover, no body from this side is allowed to Punjab side to facilitate them. If we receive passes then how will they get it. The Government must provide e-passes, he added.
Another farmer from Rajpura area of Samba, Rakesh Kumar said that he has also applied for the passes for bringing combine machine from Punjab. He said the crop is almost ready but the work in Punjab has not been totally completed. His machine is expected to reach by 25 of this month if the DM provided permission. Similar was the reply from Nanak Chand from ChakChanga, Karnail Singh and Madan Lal, farmers from Nagri area of Kathua. They said the PM has announced that special permission will be provided to the farmers but on ground level, the things were not visible. They said the Administration should allow movement of machines from KotPunnu side also.
Director Agriculture, Jammu,Inderjeet Bhagat when contacted said that he has taken up the matter with the Agriculture Department authorities in Punjab and also the DMs of the neighbouring districts. Special request has been made to them to allow movement of Harvesting -cum-thrashing machines to J&K. They have assured us full cooperation. Moreover, Principal Secretary Agriculture Production recently took a meeting at Kathua and directed DM, OP Bhagat to issue passes and ensure hastle-free movement of machines and operators from Punjab. He said in Punjab area, the work has not been completed, therefore, the machines are not arriving here. It may take a few more days and due to rains, the harvesting has also been delayed.
District Magistrate Kathua, O P Bhagat when contacted said that he has asked Chief Agriculture Officer, Kathua to provide lists of the persons intending to seek passes for men and machinery from Punjab. He said whosoever applies, the passes will be issued to them. The DM claimed that today, he issued 12 passes and others will also be allowed. The movement of machines will only be allowed via Lakhanpur this time. He said that for the Agriculture activities, the Administration would provide every possible assistance.
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