Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 26 2021: Highlighting non availability of urea, the Loumee Shinmee Apun Lup (LOUSAL), Manipur has submitted a memorandum to Karunanidhi Kanimozhi, Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Chemical & Fertilizers.

LOUSAL in the memorandum demanded setting up of an enquiry committee to look into the alleged mismanagement of urea, enforcement of a farmers friendly urea distribution system and allotment of only requisite urea bags to the State 'as maximum areas in the hills are used for poppy cultivation' .

It may be mentioned that the team of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Chemical & Fertilizers, Government of India landed in Imphal on Wednesday (August 25) .

LOUSAL said that the actual urea requirement for Kharif crops (paddy cultivation) of the State is 2,31,540 bags or 10.42 tons.

According to LOUSAL, the area of existing paddy land in the State is 1,95,000 hectare while area used for jhuming and terrace cultivation in hill area and area covered in valley for organic cultivation by MOMA measure 88,820 and 9,000 hectare respectively.

The area of existing paddy land and water logged area in the valley, on the other hand, measures 20,000 and 77,180 hectare respectively.

Saying that the Centre has allotted 4,40,000 bags of urea to the State, which is 'more than double the requirement', the lup alleged that urea, however, is not available to all the farmers till date.

The farmers face a lot of hardship in procuring a bag of urea from the Agriculture Department, the statement said and reminded that one farmer from Imphal East who went to stand in a queue to get urea died in a road accident while one other was severely injured.

It is said that Kanimozhi has assured of conveying the grievances of State's farmers to the Central Government.