Dismal farming conditions exposed as heat wave, electrocution, skin diseases turn paddy transplantation deadly
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As she was doing paddy transplantation on Tuesday in village Nawa Kila in Ferozepur, Parveen Kaur, 14, fell thirsty. She came out of the fields at around 9 am and with wet hands and feet, she mistakenly touched the nearby transformer. The Class 11 student got electrocuted and was taken to a hospital, but couldn’t survive the incident.
Her ordeal was narrated by Randhir Singh, sarpanch of Nawa Kila, who demanded due compensation for the victim’s family. “Parveen was doing this work in her summer vacation in order to help her family,” Randhir added.
On June 24, farm labourers were doing paddy transplantation in village Sangatiwala in Sangrur. A total of 15 workers were doing transplantation in a particular area when 11 women fell sick and a few of them fell unconscious. They were taken to a nearby hospital where they were discharged after keeping them under observation for few hours. “Pesticides spray was done in the fields before transplantation. Perhaps the spray combined with heat wave led to women falling conscious,” said Gobind Singh Chhajali, state representative of Mazdoor Mukti Morcha.
“These are the problems associated with transplantation. It is not an easy job,” Gobind added as he demanded an inquiry into the incident to ascertain the reason of women falling unconscious. He said that the women started working in fields after two days rest.
An agriculture officer told The Indian Express that labourers work in hot and humid environment, and stand for hours in the fields. “Hence their feet often get damaged. They also get skin problems”, the officer further said.
“It is not that easy to bend down and do transplantation. It is because of this why our backache issue starts in late 40s,” said Paramjit Kaur, a farm labourer in Saddowal village of Barnala. She said it is a season to earn and hence “few problems are just overlooked”.
Normally, workers from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh work in fields, but in some areas workers from Punjab also work in fields. “They are getting money in the range of Rs 2,500-4,000 per acre, but look at the hard work and the side-effects. However, we have no choice but to work in order to earn money,” said Zora Singh Nasrali, president, Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union.
Normally, the farmer in whose fields workers work, takes care of their health, but Punjab Mandi board is also entitled to financially help the family in case of any death or a serious ailment while working, information from an agriculture officer in Fazilka revealed.
“We can understand the side effects associated with the paddy transplantation. We do give dos and don’ts in newspapers but now onwards we will start doing announcements in village gurdwaras as well so that workers can listen to them before going to work as before sunrise they reach the fields,” Gurwinder Singh, director, Punjab agriculture department said.
On June 23, two people and a teenager got drowned when their tractor on a kuchha road lost balance and fell into Bhakra canal in Khanauri, Sangrur. At around 8 am, when the tractor driver was taking nine women along with saplings as the women had to go to another village for paddy transplantation, the tractor lost control and fell into the canal. The deceased had been identified as Geeta, Kamlesh and 13-year-old Payal.
“Three incidents happened in a span of five days only. These are accidents related to agriculture and there is due compensation for such cases,” said Bhagwant Samao, president of Mazdoor Mukti Morcha (Punjab).
“But it is very difficult to avail compensation for the dead from them. Government needs to take cognizance of the incidents and compensate the families by completing investigation at the earliest,” he added.
Meanwhile, Rajesh Dhiman, deputy commissioner, Ferozepur said that the investigation is being done in the case of electrocution of the minor. “It is a matter related to power corporation, so police is inquiring and accordingly due compensation will be given as per the guidelines”.
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