GANGTOK, 26 June: The Sikkim Organic Mission has impressed all from Aamir Khan’s “Satyamev Jayate” to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first address to the Parliament, but has clearly not impressed the Opposition. SKM MLAs, participating in the discussion on Demand for Grants for the Food Security and Agriculture and Horticulture & and Cash Crop Development Department moved by Minister Somnath Paudyal, questioned the quality, efficacy and even the earnestness of the Organic Mission.
SKM MLA from Martam-Rumtek, Dr. Mechung Bhutia, claimed in the House today that seeds used for planting come treated with pesticides thereby hampering the Organic Mission of the State Government at the very inception itself.
He informed that bags of seeds being circulated in Sikkim had pesticides marked as one of the ‘ingredients’, a labeling which had been mischievously blacked out from bags he had come across.
Minister Paudyal rejected this claim and explained that seeds procured by the State Government were “specifically ordered” under Organic Mission and hence kept free of chemical pesticides. “Perhaps there are some people who bring seeds treated with pesticides on their own, but such seeds do not come through any official channel,” he said.
Meanwhile, the SKM president, Upper Burtuk MLA PS Tamang, enquired after deteriorating condition of Large Cardamom plantations in Sikkim and sought details on initiatives being taken to revive the Lachung Apples of North Sikkim.
The Minister accepted that Large Cardamom production had fallen substantially in the past years and said that the concerned agencies were working on disease management.
About the North Sikkim apples, he said that these were unique to Sikkim, and shared that these will be impossible to revive as the orchards require many chemicals which will not be possible to use since the State has gone organic.
Replying to the comment that the Organic Mission could “fail”, the Minister reiterated that Sikkim will be completely organic by December 2015 and that special and concerted efforts are being made to ensure this.
As for the efficacy or economic viability of Organic Farming, SDF MLAs Chandra Maya Subba, Beg Bahadur Rai and Tilu Gurung shared details of farmers from their constituencies who have been doing exceeding well thanks to having adopted organic farming.
SKM MLA from Martam-Rumtek, Dr. Mechung Bhutia, claimed in the House today that seeds used for planting come treated with pesticides thereby hampering the Organic Mission of the State Government at the very inception itself.
He informed that bags of seeds being circulated in Sikkim had pesticides marked as one of the ‘ingredients’, a labeling which had been mischievously blacked out from bags he had come across.
Minister Paudyal rejected this claim and explained that seeds procured by the State Government were “specifically ordered” under Organic Mission and hence kept free of chemical pesticides. “Perhaps there are some people who bring seeds treated with pesticides on their own, but such seeds do not come through any official channel,” he said.
Meanwhile, the SKM president, Upper Burtuk MLA PS Tamang, enquired after deteriorating condition of Large Cardamom plantations in Sikkim and sought details on initiatives being taken to revive the Lachung Apples of North Sikkim.
The Minister accepted that Large Cardamom production had fallen substantially in the past years and said that the concerned agencies were working on disease management.
About the North Sikkim apples, he said that these were unique to Sikkim, and shared that these will be impossible to revive as the orchards require many chemicals which will not be possible to use since the State has gone organic.
Replying to the comment that the Organic Mission could “fail”, the Minister reiterated that Sikkim will be completely organic by December 2015 and that special and concerted efforts are being made to ensure this.
As for the efficacy or economic viability of Organic Farming, SDF MLAs Chandra Maya Subba, Beg Bahadur Rai and Tilu Gurung shared details of farmers from their constituencies who have been doing exceeding well thanks to having adopted organic farming.
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