The nationwide shutdown of non-essential resources to stop the spread of COVID-19 has not just curtailed the free movement of villagers here much like the people across the country, but also made it difficult for them to harvest the rabi crop due to labour shortage and non-availability of the combine harvesters.
Besides, the milk business of the villagers has also taken a hit adding to their financial woes.
Nanak Yadav (41), a resident of Hazipur village on Sohna-Palwal road, said a large number of labourers from Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh would throng the villages in the region during the harvest season towards the end of March, but there was none this time around due to shutdown. The combine harvesters would reach the villages, mostly from Punjab, but that too was not allowed.
Mr. Yadav, who owns three acres of agricultural land, said he would begin harvesting his wheat crop in two-acre land in the second week of April and then the mustard. “Though the family members, along with the local labourers would delay the harvest of the crops, the bigger challenge for the farmers would be to keep it stored till the procurement begins,” said Mr. Yadav.
Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar has announced that the procurement for mustard and wheat would commence on April 15 and 20 respectively, if the situation allowed.
Raj, a Nimoth resident, said the delayed procurement also meant delayed payment and it would add to their financial woes. He said though the government may not press for payment of loan under the Kisan Credit Cards, they need to repay the money taken from private lenders.
Ravinder Kumar of Kherili Lala said that most of his fellow villagers ran dairies and supplied milk to Gurugram and Faridabad, but the business was adversely hit due to the shutdown. He said that around 1,500 litres of milk was supplied from his village daily, but now many had stopped the supply.
“After a case of COVID-19 in Faridabad, we held a Panchayat, pleading all villagers to stop the supply. But many did not agree, citing financial reasons. It has now led to fear among the residents that these people could be carriers of COVID-19 to the village, infecting all,” said Mr. Kumar. He, however, said that the villagers had discontinued the practice of playing cards and smoking hookahs sitting in huddles after a police team visited the village two days back to sensitise them and following a similar appeal from the Sarpanch.
Mr. Kumar, who runs a real estate business, said the lockdown had hit him hard since many of his clients had not made the payment.
Om Prakash Chopra, a resident of Gamroj village off the Gurugram-Alwar Highway, said the police did not allow the opening of all grocery shops in his village and threatened the shopkeepers to pull down their shutters. He also accused the police of high-handedness, saying that he was stopped and abused while he was going to a doctor to get his daughter-in-law examined.
