Markets across the state are yet to receive this years wheat harvest which as per experts will be a week behind schedule. Dr Mangal Singh Sandhu,Director of Agriculture Punjab said,Sudden cold spell has delayed the ripening of the crop. However the climatic fluctuations will not affect the yield of the crop. Last year Punjab produced 164 lakh metric tons of wheat and another one lakh metric tons is likely to be added this year. Meanwhile,the state government is yet to resolve the issue of making direct payments to the farmers as asked by the Centre and is making payments through middlemen,who form a powerful pro-Akali group. In a run up to procurement of wheat,two groups of Akali leaders hailing from Faridkot clashed at the mini-secretariat. According to sources,the groups clashed over filing of tenders for lifting and transportation of wheat crop from the mandis to the storage. With both groups hailing from the ruling party,no officer from the district administration is ready to name the miscreants. The situation was brought under control after DSP Gurmeet Singh and SHO Balwinder Singh along with two hundred police men gheraoed the mini-secretariat. Eyewitness say that the groups clashed after a new group submitted tenders for transportation of the crop. Seeing the tension build up,the district food and civil supplies officer Kulwant Kaur left the office and the tenders were received by the manager. The tenders will now be opened on Tuesday.
