Coming up with a standard operating procedure under its “Jisda Khet, Usdi Ret” scheme, which allows flood-hit farmers to mine and sell the silt deposited in their fields, the Punjab government has asked district mining officers to supervise the process and placed excavators at the disposal of deputy commissioners, who can take a call on using them where silt levels are higher.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said clearing the fields of silt to make them cultivable again is his government’s top priority. Wherever people find it difficult to remove the silt, they can approach the authorities, who would arrange mining contractors to remove the deposits, he said.
Also read: Punjab govt announces ₹20,000 relief per acre
While excavators are meant to be used only in residential areas, tractors fitted with disc harrows are likely to be used in the fields. But in flood-affected areas where the silt is more, DCs can allow the use of excavators, but sparingly, otherwise it could lead to huge cavities in the fields and rob the soil of minerals.
According to the norms fixed for providing assistance from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), financial assistance for desilting of agricultural land has been fixed at Rs 18,000 per hectare and loss for change in course of river at Rs 47,000 per hectare.
Farmers say silt removal scheme unprofitable
Many flood-hit farmers have dismissed the state government’s “Jisda Khet, Usdi Ret” scheme as unprofitable and called it a stunt. They said the sand mixed with mountain soil and clay is of low quality and would not fetch them much, considering the heavy expenses on earth-moving machinery, labour and fuel, which they might have to bear themselves.
They said it is for the government to provide them the machines through societies or local administration. The Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee has also submitted a memorandum to the authorities in this regard. Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee state secretary Salwinder Jania said the silt and sand extracted from the fields could instead be more gainfully used for strengthening embankments.
Thin layer of silt can benefit soil: PAU
Urging farmers to consult Krishi Vigyan Kendras before removing silt from their fields, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) Vice-Chancellor Satbir Singh Gosal said silt layers up to 5 inches could be mixed with soil to improve productivity. He, however, said silt should be completely removed at places where the deposits are heavy.
“Sand and clay must be removed carefully, but red soil, if present, can actually benefit the field,” said the Vice-Chancellor, adding that farmers should avail the free soil testing services announced by the university.
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