Press Trust of India

Paddy transplantation will begin Wednesday in Punjab, with the State expecting to have about 30 lakh hectares under the kharif crop. “We are expecting about 30 lakh hectares under paddy this year as against 30.65 lakh hectares of area last year,” Punjab Agriculture Department Director JS Bains said on Tuesday.

The State agriculture department had announced the paddy transplantation from June 20 instead of June 15 to preserve water and check the fast depleting ground-water table.

The five-day delay in paddy transplantation is expected to save nearly 24 lakh million litres of water, said an official.

However, some farmers at certain places defied the order by sowing paddy before June 20.

The agriculture department took action against those who flouted the order of not transplanting paddy before June 20.

“Action against farmers mostly in Barnala, Sangrur and Bathinda was taken for flouting the order,” said Bains.

As part of action, the crop sown before June 20 was destroyed at few places, official said.

The State agriculture department tried to allay fears of farmers who opposed the decision of transplanting paddy from June 20 on the ground that it would result in high moisture content in the crop after harvest.

However, farmers were advised not to transplant long duration varieties such as PUSA 44, which could possibly face high moisture content during harvesting, official said, adding that farmers were encouraged to sow varieties such as PR 121, 124 and 126 instead.

Meanwhile, the state owned power utility PSPCL today claimed to have made sufficient power arrangements to meet energy requirements during paddy sowing.

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