Himanta Biswa Sarma's 'Fertiliser Jihad': How Assam opposition missed the point by choosing politics over people

Recent discourse surrounding the statement made by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma regarding ‘fertiliser jihad’ has resulted in misinterpretations and politicisation of the matter. While the opposition parties hastily associated the term with Bengali Muslims, accusing the chief minister of singling out a specific religious community through the introduction of a new term, a Times of India editorial published on 12 June 2023 albeit somewhat sermonising, focussed on the need to avoid politicising the issue of fertiliser acknowledging the Central government’s subsidisation of fertilisers as a means to ensure food security. In the words of the Times of India editorial, “Himanta Sarma shouldn’t politicise fertiliser use. GOI subsidises it to ensure food security.” ‘Fertiliser jihad’: Twisting the truth The realm of politics often exhibits its ability to manipulate and distort meanings, diverting attention from the underlying reality. In the case of Chief Minister Sarma’s usage of the term ‘jihad,’ it is crucial to recognise that it does not signify a declaration of ‘jihad’ against the residents of Kharupetia and Dalgaon in Darrang district of Assam, who primarily engage in vegetable cultivation and contribute massively to the supply of produce across various parts of the Brahmaputra valley. Rather, the chief minister intended to convey the notion of exerting control or a figurative ‘jihad’ against the excessive and unregulated use of fertilisers in agriculture, emphasising the potentially far-reaching consequences of this practice. It is important to note that a metaphorical ‘jihad’ is also being waged against corruption in the state, where the Chief Minister’s Vigilance Cell has successfully apprehended numerous individuals for engaging in corrupt activities like taking bribes. The Bengali Muslim community residing in the aforementioned regions highlighted by the Assam chief minister are indeed diligent and industrious farmers, tirelessly cultivating their fields throughout the year. It is essential to acknowledge their hard work and commitment. However, Chief Minister Sarma raised concerns regarding the farming practices employed in these areas, which may be driven by either a lack of knowledge or commercial imperatives to meet the high demand for agricultural produce across the state. Surprisingly, the opposition parties have remained silent on this matter and the Times of India editorial failed to address the potential adverse effects of excessive fertiliser usage. It is worth considering whether the excessive application of fertilisers could be likened to killing the proverbial hen that lays golden eggs, as it may result in long-term environmental degradation, reduced soil fertility and compromised agricultural sustainability. In reference to the Times of India editorial, it drew attention to the situation in Sri Lanka, where the government’s abrupt ban on the importation of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides in 2021 resulted in a food shortage. It is important to note that Chief Minister Sarma did not specifically suggest such a course of action. Have we forgotten the 2017 pesticide poisoning in Maharashtra when 21 farmers lost their lives in Yavatmal district? A government submission to Lok Sabha revealed that until 2018, a total of 272 farmers had died in Maharashtra due to pesticide poisoning within four years. These incidents serve as reminders to prioritise the health and safety of farmers and consumers alike. The presence of Bengali Muslims in the mentioned areas and their use of fertilisers beyond the permissible limits is largely coincidental. If Hindus, Christians or Sikhs had engaged in similar practices, the associated risks would have been equally concerning. The necessity for a “jihad” against the improper use of fertilisers remains the same. When cough syrup is used as a prescribed medicine it is acceptable but using it frequently without a prescription makes a person addicted. Likewise, excessive use of fertilisers like COVID-19 harms humans irrespective of caste, creed, status and religion. It is essential to ensure food security but it should not come at the expense of human and environmental well-being. “Under the global scenario of burgeoning population it is imperative to ensure food security by increasing crop production. There is increasing concern, however, that agricultural intensification leads to large-scale ecosystem degradation and loss of productivity by hampering the soil health in the long term. Further, application of excessive fertilizers and pesticides to improve crop production has negative environmental implications, including soil degradation, enhanced greenhouse gas emissions, accumulation of pesticides, and decline in the availability and quality of water,” authors Sachchidanand Tripathi, Pratap Srivastava, Rajkumari S Devi and Rahul Bhadouria wrote in an article on ScienceDirect. Why there should be a similar ‘jihad’ in tea gardens The focus of the “jihad against fertiliser” in Assam should in fact extend to include the tea gardens, where many establishments frequently surpass safety thresholds of fertiliser application to achieve higher yields. “Agrochemicals is very essential for healthy production of any crops, Assam the state of India is one of the major tea production state, 60% of tea is produced in India only Assam. In the tea gardens a huge amounts of agrochemicals is used for high yield but the effect of agrochemicals in soil and water is ignore, the agrochemicals from soil leashes to drinking water sources and contaminant the water sources. A total of 30 soil and water samples(different sources) were collected from 10 small tea gardens of Sonitpur district, Assam for analysis, It is observed that the soil health is not in accordance with the fertility rating chart given by ICAR (2005). After analysis in the water samples As, Fe, Mn, Cd have found above WHO limit. This is because of excessive use of agrochemicals. The worst victims by agrochemicals were the tea garden community who are directly related to tea gardens. The researchers feel that environmental aspects of soil quality of this area need serious attention in near future for better agricultural practices and human health,” said researchers Joydev Dutta, Mridul Chetia, JP Sarmah Baruah and Abani Kumar Misra in their joint article Agrochemical fertilizers use in tea gardens and their impact on drinking water sources of Sonitpur district, Assam, India. In another research, Optimization of reduced chemical fertilizer use in tea gardens based on the assessment of related environmental and economic benefits, researchers Ziteng Wang, Yuanbo Geng and Tao Liang said: “Chemical fertilizer application is the primary method used to maintain tea yield and quality, but has a negative environmental impact owing to its excessive use.” The same sentiment have been expressed by Nabajyoti Deka and Kishor Goswami in their research article, Economic sustainability of organic cultivation of Assam tea produced by small-scale growers where they categorically state: “The small-scale tea growers spend a considerable amount of their income to buy chemical fertilizers, pesticides, weedicides, and other material-inputs. Many growers extensively rely on chemical inputs to achieve higher yield, which makes tea cultivation environmentally and economically unsustainable.” In the Brahmaputra Valley of Assam, there exists an extensive network of approximately 70,000 small tea gardens, alongside more than 800 registered tea gardens, encompassing a vast land area of 3,12,210 hectares dedicated to tea cultivation. Given the substantial expanse of land dedicated to tea cultivation, it becomes imperative to exercise meticulous caution in the application of fertilisers and pesticides adhering to scientifically approved methods. Chapter V of The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 clearly mentions:: “The employer shall be responsible to maintain in his establishment such health, safety and working conditions for the employees as may be prescribed by the Central Government.” The responsibility for safeguarding the well-being of the workers involved in spraying fertilisers and pesticides lies jointly with the tea garden companies, individual owners and the government. It is crucial to acknowledge that the farmers in Kharupetia and Dalgaon are at the forefront of exposure to these potentially hazardous chemicals. Given the nature of their work, they face direct contact and potential health risks associated with the application of fertilisers and pesticides. Rather than targeting Chief Minister Sarma, it is important for the opposition and civil society to unite with him in addressing this critical issue. For instance, the Assam government has consistently taken a stand against the import of fish from other states due to the presence of carcinogenic formalin, which has gained significant attention in recent months. Notably, on 30 May 2023, Meghalaya also imposed a ban on fish imports from various parts of the country due to the presence of formalin. Isn’t this a ‘jihad’ against formalin use? Agri Vision 2025 of the Assam government The Agri Vision 2025 of the Assam government centres on key objectives such as ensuring food security, generating employment opportunities and promoting the sustainability of agricultural production. In the document, the state government has clearly mentioned: “Use of green manure crops, bio-fertilizer and other organic manure to stabilize the agro-system shall be the focus of attention.” According to the government’s official document, the agriculture department of Assam aims to maintain a limit of 70 kg/ha for fertiliser usage with any additional requirements being fulfilled through Integrated Nutrient Management practices such as the use of organic manures, bio-fertilisers and green manuring, which contribute to the preservation of soil health. The previous levels of fertiliser usage stood at 29.3 kg/ha, which subsequently increased to 50 kg/ha and then to the current target of 70 kg/ha in the state. It is important to note that the state government’s objective is not to eliminate the use of fertilisers altogether but rather to regulate it in a manner that prioritises human well-being and sustainability. Misplaced ‘jihad’ of opposition Rather than directing their criticism solely towards Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, it would be beneficial for the opposition parties to grasp the contextual nuances of the matter before contesting his statement. While there may be numerous political arenas where they can engage in battle against the chief minister in the future, there exists a singular battleground for the “jihad” against fertiliser overuse, where they should consider becoming comrades-in-arms with the Assam chief minister. It is essential for them to recognise the urgency of addressing the issue of fertiliser misuse, setting aside political differences to collectively combat this pressing concern. People above politics, right? Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.