OFFICERS DIRECTED TO REMOVE WEED BEFORE SOWING OF COTTON

Bathinda, : The Additional Chief Secretary (development) Mr Suresh Kumar today convened a meeting of district administration, agriculture officers and farmers from various blocks wherein he laid emphasis on quality control of cotton seeds, fertilizers and pesticides.
Conducting the review meeting regarding removal of weeds that support white fly, Mr Suresh Kumar presided over meeting that included secretary agriculture Mr VP SIngh, additional deputy commissioner (development) Mrs Shena Aggarwal, ADC (general) Mrs Parampal Kaur Sidhu, director agriculture department Mr Jasbir SIngh Bains and others. He appealed the farmers that if they came across fake seeds or pesticides sellers, they should immediately share the information with agriculture officers so that proper action can be taken.
Directing the officers to ensure weed removal in all blocks of district before cotton sowing, he directed that farmer awareness camps be held and scouts be recruited for the farmers. He added that under the second phase of weed removal, all the weeds should be destroyed by May 15. He aded that earlier in 284 villages of district, a mass level weed removal campaign has been run so that the weeds supporting white fly are removed. He directed the officers to maintain a liasion with pesticides sellers, for the benefit of farmers, and ensure that they sell only PAU recommended variety of products, give farmers permanent bills with lot number, batch number etc mentioned on it.
Talking about the confidence building camps to be held in villages he said that these camps have been started so that the farmers can be assured that in forthcoming seasons they would be provided the best of seeds and medicines. He called upon the farmers to first undertake deep ploughing so that the roots of cotton crops run deep in soil and they get enough micronutrients.
The agriculture department has identified farmers in whose fields 1200 cluster exhibitions would be held and 130 scouts have been recruited to help out the farmers. Mr Suresh Kumar directed that the information and telephone numbers of these scouts should be displayed in every village so that farmers have easy access to information, when needed. He assured the farmers of 8 hours of uninterrupted power supply.The Chief Agriculture Officer Mr Nachhattar Singh was also present.