The State government was acting as the nodal agency to implementation of organic farming policy, while non-governmental organisations take the organic system to the doorsteps of the farming community, he said while addressing a workshop on ‘Organic Fair’ as part of the Kisan Swaraj Yatra which was in the City.
Noted environmentalist Suresh Heblikar said the downfall of organic farming in India began during the British rule in India.
“Indian traditional farming system started disappearing during the British Raj. Lord Macaulay deeply studied the Indian culture and traditional systems when he was the governor general. He believed that the British could not master India unless they took control over the indigenous culture. His policies led to the decline of the traditional farming system,” Heblikar said.
Kultar Singh, a farmer from Punjab said farmers started using pesticides and fertilisers more after the Green Revolution. Punjab alone consumed 18 percent of pesticides and fertilisers used in the country. Hence, many in Punjab suffer from diseases like cancer and infertility, he added.
“Ground water table in Punjab, where five important rivers flow, has gone down considerably. Moreover, drinking water is also polluted due to modern farming methods,” he added.
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