Ludhiana
As a strong measure to control the declining water table in the state, the Punjab Agricultural University Vice Chancellor, Dr Baldev Singh Dhillon urged the farmers to strictly follow the government’s timeline instructions for sowing paddy and not transplanting it before 20th June. While stressing the adoption of PAU’s early maturing paddy varieties, PR 121, PR122, PR124, PR126, PR127, Dr Dhillon explained that the sowing time of these varieties can be aligned with the onset of monsoon in the region that normally hits Punjab by the end of June, therefore the water requirement for paddy at the time can be achieved through seasonal rainfall. “These varieties mature in about 93 to 110 days after transplanting and are immune to humidity at the time of marketing, therefore these are being adopted well by the farmers”, said Dr Dhillon. He also highlighted that transplanting paddy from 20th June would cut down expenditure on pesticides. Divulging details about the current scenario, Dr Dhillon added that while on one hand the environmental conditions are not conducive for paddy cultivation in Punjab, on the other our national food policy with its focus on greater MSP for paddy and resultant profit as compared to other crops has lured the farmers of the state towards paddy cultivation. He also shared that as a step towards conserving water, an ordinance issued in 2008 declared 8th June as the initiation date for sowing of paddy. In 2014, this date was extended to 15th June and the farmers willingly complied with the directions. Though this significantly controlled the declining water table, the latest figures present a dismal picture with water table declining annually at the rate of 2 to 3 feet in many districts. The submersible pumps, as a result are being installed deeper into the ground further burning a hole in the farmers’ pockets.

Dr Dhillon appealed to the farmers to strictly follow recommendations of the university experts for paddy sowing, thereby help shoulder responsibility towards society and environment. “Any further carelessness on this front will ultimately lead to Punjab turning into a desert”, cautioned Dr Dhillon, while adding that it is our collective responsibility to conserve natural resources, especially water for the coming generations.