Farmers Cry Foul in BBN: Maize, Paddy Crops Ravaged by Mysterious Disease, Fake Pesticides & Pollution Factor as possible villains..
Nalagarh (BBN): Hundreds of acres of maize and paddy fields are withering away in the fertile plains of Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN) belt, and the farmers are on the brink of despair.
The farmers demand compensation of Rs 50000 each as an immediate help to feed their families and immediate investigation and study on the nature of outbreak of diseases in maize and paddy in the BBN area
Mysterious crop diseases have taken over the region, and what's worse — the pesticides recommended by the state agriculture department are proving utterly useless, raising serious questions about the circulation of fake agro-chemicals in the market and by the agriculture department.
“This isn’t the first time,” say enraged farmers.
“Every year we lose our crops, and no official or scientist ever visits to investigate. It’s as if our suffering doesn't matter to the system.”
According to locals, the indigenous varieties of maize and paddy are more susceptible, and the sprays — instead of helping — are worsening the damage.
There is growing suspicion that the pesticides are deliberately formulated to harm traditional crops, a sinister collusion, as alleged by farmers, between agro-chemical companies and officials who draft the spray schedules.
"Shut down these useless universities," farmers erupt in protest.
“What's the point of having agricultural and horticulture universities, and a full-fledged agriculture department, if none of them step in when our livelihoods are being destroyed?” asked a visibly angry farmer leader.
"Nauni University and CCS Agricultural University have never sent a single team to study what’s killing our crops."
Worse, there’s no testing mechanism in place in the state to verify the quality of fertilizers, pesticides, or fungicides.
Everything is being sprayed based on blind recommendations. "Fake sprays are not just ruining maize and paddy, even apple orchards in higher hills are suffering from a never-ending cycle of leaf spots, mites, and premature leaf fall," farmers said.
IIT Mandi Study Points to Toxic Water — Pollution Control Board Silent
To add insult to injury, the underground water in BBN has been found highly contaminated — thanks to unchecked industrial waste.
An IIT Mandi study confirmed high levels of toxic elements in groundwater, but the State Pollution Control Board has done little to nothing. There's been no follow-up, no mitigation, and no accountability.
"The pollution is in the air, in the water, and now in our soil. We’re breathing poison and harvesting death," said another local farmer. "And the Pollution Board is in slumber."
A Vicious Loop of Crop Failure and Debt
With no effective disease control, no compensation, and no preventive system in place, farmers are sliding into irreversible debt.
Many are now demanding a judicial inquiry into the functioning of the agriculture department, universities, and pollution control board.
The system, they say, has become an extension of the pesticide-fertilizer lobby.
“Either our officials are incompetent or sold out. Why don’t they test these sprays in state labs before pushing them down our throats?” one farmer asked in anguish.
A ticking time bomb for food security
As traditional crops continue to disappear under pressure from disease, fake sprays, and polluted water, Himachal’s food security is heading towards a cliff. Farmers are not just losing their livelihoods — they’re losing faith in the system.
Will the government act before it’s too late? Or will the fields of BBN remain graveyards of maize and rice, sacrificed at the altar of corporate greed and bureaucratic apathy?
Agriculture officials response is awaited.