Eye on poll, govt tweaks allocation of DAP; farmers force partial reversal

Farmers owing allegiance to the BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) today forced the administration to allocate maximum diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertiliser to Malerkotla, after a train carrying 34,164 sacks of the “elusive” fertiliser landed there.

Originally, 75 per cent of the fertiliser was meant for distribution and sale in Malerkotla and Sangrur, while 25 per cent was meant for poll-bound Barnala.

Lifting better in poll-bound areas

• The mandis in the state are glutted with paddy, but the overall lifting of grains is only 48.24 per cent
• In the market committees located in two poll-bound constituencies, the lifting is higher than the state’s average
• It is 67.53 per cent at the Barnala Market Committee and 71.23 per cent at Dera Baba Nanak Market Committee

However, farmers alleged the government, on its own, changed the allocation of fertiliser at the last minute, clearing majority stock for Barnala district, where AAP, Congress and BJP are caught in a triangular fight for the bypoll.

The protest by farmers lasted for two-three hours. Following intervention by the district administration, it was decided that out of 20,500 bags of DAP meant for distribution through government channels (remaining 13,664 to be given to private traders), 10,500 would be offloaded at Malerkotla and only 10,000 would be sent to Barnala, said union general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan.

Malerkotla Deputy Commissioner Pallavi told The Tribune that some changes were made in the allocation of fertiliser on the basis of need in each district. However, the issue was later amicably resolved, she said.

Markfed Managing Director Girish Dayalan said they would check the original allocation and see if any changes had been made.

It may be mentioned that DAP is sent by the Centre, but its district-wise allocation is made by the state government, through Markfed. This year, there is a severe shortage of DAP. Of the 5.5 lakh metric tonne DAP required for the rabi season, the state has so far been allocated 3.6 LMT DAP and 40,641 MT of its substitutes.

The BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) has alleged that while there was a severe shortage of DAP in the state this year, the ruling party was surreptitiously diverting the fertiliser to the poll-bound Assembly constituencies to keep the rural voters in good humour.

Last week, DAP, originally meant for Mansa, was allegedly diverted to Barnala. This has been categorically denied by the state government, insisting that the distribution of fertilisers was equitable across the state.

The four Assembly constituencies (Barnala, Gidderbaha, Dera Baba Nanak and Chabbewal) that go to the polls on November 13 have a sizeable number of rural voters.

A senior government official told The Tribune that rakes of fertiliser reach only a few destinations, and from there, the fertiliser is diverted/distributed to nearby cities/towns. “Since 40 per cent of the total fertiliser is allocated to private traders, they sell it in the city where the trains arrive. It is only out of the 60 per cent share of fertilisers meant for sale through cooperative societies that is distributed in nearby towns and villages,” he said.