Overdose of fertilizer and pesticides damages crop, posing health risk in Punjab

Published August 13, 2012 | 12:06 pm

S Maan

The paddy crop damaged due to overdose of chemicals and fertilizers

Ludhiana: With soaring temperature and deficient monsoon, two week back the paddy saplings which were wilting in the fields due to dry season are now facing another new problem of excess of fertilizers which the fear-stricken farmers relied upon to save their crop.

Paddy crop in many areas of Malwa have been damaged due to excessive and unscientific use of chemical fertilizers by the farmers.

While on an average, the farmers used 3 or 4 bags of sulphur and urea fertilizers per acre in their paddy field in the last four-five years but this time to save their crop, lacking vitality and vigour, the farmers used up to 8 bags urea and many other chemicals and nutrients including some other strong pesticides to save their crop. But this excess dose of chemicals has had an adverse impact on the crop.

Sarpanch Harbans Singh Johal of Dhalleke village of Moga district told that many farmers of the village are suffering from lack of water for their paddy crop.The canal water is insufficient in this area and the ground water is also brackish with high salinity.The Sarpanch told that the farmers tried to save their crop by adding extra fertilizer but it added to the damage.

Davinder Singh Ghali, district president of Kirti Kisan Union (KKU) Moga ,alleged that the power is supplied for only 4 or 5 hours per day and that is adding to the woes of farmers. Besides, some pesticides dealers are misguiding the poo farmers and are selling sub-standard fertilizers and other material. The illiterate farmers do not know that chemicals are not substitute of the impure groundwater. So, as a result many acres paddy crop has been damaged with the overdose of chemicals and fertilizers,Ghalli added.

Gurpiar Singh Brar a progressive farmer of Rode village told that the farmers of the surrounding villages had put overdose of chemicals and fertilizers in their paddy fields on the suggestions of the pesticides dealers of the area.

Meanwhile apart from damage to the crops, the health experts are worried about this unscientific , excessive , unchecked use of chemicals in Punjab fields that are the root cause behind the rising number of disease in Malwa.

Posted by on August 13, 2012. Filed under PUNJAB. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry