Manure shortage crisis continues in Lalitpur

Jhansi: A week on, the severe shortage of DAP and urea is creating a crisis like situation in Lalitpur district with thousands of farmers standing in long queues in various blocks waiting for hours for obtaining the manure bags. Some of the farmers even blocked the highway.
The agitated farmers are seen indulging in various kinds of unruly behaviour with police and administration.On Monday hundreds of farmers tried to stop a truck load of manure heading to some other destination and tried to download the truck at the spot.
Police swung into action along with some of the administrative officers who were present there and somehow calmed the farmers and persuaded them to let the truck go.
On Sunday in a video that went viral, an elderly farmer Narhat was seen slapping a police inspector during an agitation of hundreds of farmers. The matter was later on calmed down after the intervention of senior officials. Likewise in Madawra, police had to resort to mild lathi charge on a group of agitating farmers in, which few sustained injuries. After this the situation was brought into control.
For over a week, thousands of farmers in various parts of Bundelkhand are running from pillar to post waiting for hours to get DAP and urea for sowing. On Friday, a 52-year-old farmer of village Nayagaon had died of heart attack while standing in front of various shops for obtaining manure.
The sudden escalation in the demand has shot up because of good rains a week ago in the region which has preponed the sowing activity in farms for which DAP and urea is essential. The farmers are mainly in haste so that they can sow the seeds before the land gets dry. This will prevent them in spending money in pre sowing irrigation of the farms.
As per DM Lalitpur, Unnavi Dinesh Kumar, more racks of manure are expected to arrive in next couple of days which will help in normalising the situation.