Ludhiana, April 13: As part of a “direct dialogue” initiative, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday held a Kisan Milni with select farmers at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, where he announced zone-wise paddy sowing to conserve groundwater.
The event, which brought together around 50 farmers from each district, focused on promoting less water-intensive paddy varieties. Mann said the state had been divided into three zones, where paddy sowing will begin on June 1, June 5, and June 9, respectively.
He noted that Punjab pumps out water equal to nine Gobind Sagar lakes during the 70-day paddy season, warning that such overuse could deprive future generations of this vital resource.
While the government projected the event as a platform for farmer-government dialogue, several union leaders dismissed it as a “public relations exercise,” accusing the state of excluding genuine farmer representatives from the discussion.
