by Dhruba Jyoti Saikia

Mangaldai : Darrang district has huge potentiality. Most of the family of the district live on farming and farmers are very much hard working . However even after seventy five years of country’s independence the district lags behind necessary infrastructure for proper progress in the agriculture sector .

This has been observed by Dr Abdul Hafiz , Chief Scientist of Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) , Darrang He was addressing the open session of the Krishak Swahid Divas, organized by a premier farmers’ organization of the district Krishak Sanggha at the campus of Sankardev Jatiya Vidyalaya , Besimari in memory of the martyrs of the historic Pathorughat peasants uprising in 1894 on Thursday. Dr Hafiz said , “ I have served many in several places across the country but I haven’t seen any backward district like Darrang which doesn’t have a cold storage , a agricultural college , four lane highway and railway connectivity. Even our KVK is yet to have a permanent set up due to the land issue .”

The Chief Scientist of the district KVK also ruled out the allegation by a section of people against the vegetable growers in the eastern part of the district of applying excess chemicals for commercial market while growing vegetables separately in organic manner for their own consumption. “ I have made some survey on the charges including by a few senior government officials that the vegetables grown in the area are carry high risk for consumption due to excess use of chemical and farmers grow vegetables separate for their own consumption by adopting organic means . But the charges are not true .”, Dr Hafiz added.

The senior agri scientist appealed to the farmers of Besimari which is one of the largest vegetable production area in the North East to adopt organic and integrated farming for doubling their income after necessary test regarding the nature of the soil for better production and sustainability of the quality. Speaking on the occasion Bhupen Goswami, a Guwahati based senior journalist and the vice president of National Union of Journalist , India criticized the government for their failure to offer adequate support to the marginal farmers who suffered heavy losses due to COVID induced situation. Similarly , Bhabesh Kakati, vice president Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad charged the present government of ignoring the genuine problems of the farmers and misuse of power to suppress the legitimate demand of the farmers like done by the British rulers during the Pathorughat peasants’ uprising.

The meeting chaired by Mozafar Hussain , President , Krishak Sanggha was earlier inaugurated by Mayukh Goswami , senior journalist of the district while Durga Ram Baraik , General Secretary of Krishak Sanggha explained its objectives. Several other speakers including senior advocate Majibur Rahman , Assistant Professor of Kharupetia College , Jakir Hussain also spoke on the occasion .

The meeting also witnessed felicitation to the family members of local farmers – Billal Hussain , Syed Ali , Akbar Ali and Abdul Karim who had lost their lives in a police firing incident while demanding minimum support price for jute in the year 2011. The day long celebration of Krishak Divas also featured community cleanliness , flag hoisting, paying floral tribute to the farmer martyrs , farmers’ procession, plantation and presentation of songs by the students of Sankardev Jatiya Vidyalaya among others .