Scarcity of fertilizer: Opposition stages noisy walkout

Lucknow, Dec 4 (UNI) The entire Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly today staged a noisy walkout to protest scarcity of DAP fertilizers, which resulted in poor wheat produce.

The issue was raised during the Question Hour. State Agriculture minister Lakshmi Narain said the Uttar Pradesh government had provided money to the Centre to buy 2.5 lakh tonne of DAP. ''But despite the payment of the amount, the Union government has not released the fertilizer,'' he claimed blaming the Centre for the scarcity.

The minister claimed that while in Novembver, 2006, three lakh tonnes of fertilizer was distributed, six lakh tonnes of fertilizer was distributed this November.

Reacting to the statement, senior Samajwadi Party leader Md Azam Khan said despite doubling the distribution, the farmers were unable to get sufficient fertilizer. ''This only means black marketing of fertilizer.'' Officiating Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Pramod Tiwari expressed similar sentiments and claimed that fertilizer meant for the farmers in the state was being sold in the neighbouring states of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and even Nepal.

The Agriculture Minister blamed scanty rainfall and not the scarcity of DAP for the poor wheat produce.

Unhappy with the reply, BJP members, followed by the Congress, SP and Rashtriya Lok Dal walkedout of the proceedings raising anti-government slogans.

UNI