Team Herald
PORVORIM: Deputy Chief Minister Chandrakant ‘Babu’ Kavlekar faced criticism on the floor of the House on Friday for promoting the use of fertilisers in the agriculture, which is against the State government’s policy to promote organic farming.
Kavlekar, who is also Minister for Agriculture got into verbal spat during the Zero Hour with former Dy CM and Goa Forward Party (GFP) MLA Vijai Sardesai over the mention of promoting fertilisers. This led to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant intervening and stating that the government is committed towards making Goa an ‘Organic State’.
Former Agriculture Minister Sardesai objected to the reply by Kavlekar that the State would approach Zuari Agro Chemicals to double up its fertilizer production in a bid to meet the required demand of the farmers. BJP MLA Dayanand Sopte had earlier mentioned about the scarcity of fertilisers to the farmers in Bardez and Pernem taluka.
Sardesai took strong objection to the Dy CM’s assurance, pointing out that the policy of the govt is to promote organic farming and discourage the usage of fertilisers.
Claiming that Kavlekar was ignorant about the State’s policy on farming, the Fatorda MLA added that the central govt has already sanctioned 500 farming clusters to the State, which has to be developed through organic methods.
The former minister said that the extensive usage of urea (fertilizer) results in cancer cases in the state. “On one side, the government is talking about organic farming and on the other hand it is promoting use of urea. How can this happen? At a time when House is debating on the serious deadly disease like cancer, the government is talking about use of fertilizer in agriculture,” Sardesai said.
Kavlekar, the Quepem BJP MLA said the State govt is stressing on organic farming but that cannot happen immediately and hence providing organic manure to farmers at this point, to fulfill its requirement is not possible. “We are committed to organic farming but that cannot happen overnight. Right now, the farmers are asking for fertilisers and we need to supply it,” he said.
