In a bid to bail out the Cotton growers in the state, Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today reviewed the progress in special Girdawari of the cotton belt so as to assess the total loss of the white gold due the attack of whitefly. Decision to this effect was taken in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister which was convened to find out the cause of the whitefly attack and to chalk out the strategy to contain the future loss.Disclosing this official spokesperson of the Chief Minister office said that Chief Minister expressed serious concern over the reports of the devastation caused by whitefly on cotton crop in some areas in the state. Chief Minister was informed that in some parts of the state farmers have ploughed their cotton fields which had suffered 100% crop damage due to the attack of the whitefly. Chief Minister assured the farmers that compensation would be accorded to the aggrieved farmers after the assessment of loss.
Chief Minister directed the Agriculture Department to depute Agriculture Officers from other parts of the state to cotton belt to felicitate the execution of Girdawari. Chief Minister also ordered to organise awareness camps at the village level for the farmers to educate them about the do’s and don’ts in this crucial hour to preserve the remaining cotton crop. He directed the Agriculture Department to conduct such camps jointly with the Revenue Department and Punjab Agriculture University. Similarly CM has also directed for Mass Media campaign in print as well as electronic media to spread awareness in the cotton growers so that they could retrieve the remaining cotton crop.Chief Minister also appealed the cotton growers not to panic and precisely follow the instructions of the Agriculture Department issued from time to time. He said that the Punjab Government is standing rock solid with the farmers in this hour of crisis and all possible steps would be taken to bail out the cotton growers from this crisis.
At the onset officers from Agriculture department and agriculture scientists from Punjab Agriculture University appraised the Chief Minister about the causes responsible for the attack of whitefly. It was informed that the one of the major cause behind the attack of whitefly was the late sowing of cotton crop and inadequate watering in the cotton fields. Untimely, inadequate and unscientific method of spray by the farmers also aggravated the situation and these circumstances made the atmosphere congenial for the whitefly to attack the cotton crop. It was informed that Fazilka and Mukatsar are the worst affected districts whereas in other districts like Bathinda, Mansa and Barnala the situation is comparatively better.
Prominent amongst others who were present in the meeting included Agriculture Minister Mr. Tota Singh, Chief Secretary Mr. Sarvesh Kaushal, Financial Commissioner Revenue Mr. Karan Avtar Singh, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. S.K. Sandhu, Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. Gagandip Singh Brar, Agriculture Commissioner Dr. B.S. Sidhu and Director Agriculture Dr. Mangal Singh Sandhu.Deputy Commissioners & Chief Agriculture Officers of cotton affected districts i.e. Bathinda, Muktsar, Mansa, Fazilka and Barnala, Sangrur, Ferozpur were also present in the meeting.