Shaurya Sharma
Fatehgarh Sahib. April 09, 2020: Amid COVID-19 threat as soon as the government announced the new policy for the procurement of the wheat and allowed harvesting, the residents of nearby village Khanpur started the harvesting of wheat process. Some of the farmers gave the shelter and fed the labourers with the mission that they will harvest their crop and now put them in advance to harvest, so that someone else may not lure them by offering more money, said Harbhajan Singh farmer. He said there is acute shortage of labour and everyone needs the labour as Farmers can’t harvest at their own. If they press harvesting combines in service, then there is loss of straw, which is necessity as a feed for live stock. He said they started harvesting in advance, so that they may help the others also after completing their process.
The labourers Pintoo, Greece told that they have spent the entire money and wanted to go to their homes in UP, but due to lack of transportation they struck here. They said they are harvesting crop for the first time just to earn and feed their families. They were working as mansion and in factory but due to curfew there is no work. The family depends upon the food served by the villagers and NGO. They said after harvesting they will go to their State as soon as Rail or road transportation starts.
Meanwhile Deputy Commissioner Amrit Kaur Gill today hold a meeting with the district heads to review the wheat procurement arrangements amid COVID-19 threat. She said though procurement in this scenario is a big challenge, but they are ready. She said that wheat will be procured by maintain social distancing, sanitizers, gloves, masks will be provided to labour and farmers bringing the wheat. The farmers will be given the token by Commission agents and it will also serve as curfew pass they will bring the wheat on that very day and it will be procured immediately. The payment will be made to commission agents through electronic way and they will further make to farmers within 48 hours and will be stored also.