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Farmers have demanded compensation saying that the Kankasundari rural municipality has distributed fake saplings.

The farmers have demanded compensation after it was confirmed that the rural municipality had procured the seedlings through tender but did not do the grafting.

Punna Budha, a farmer of Kankasundari-4 Lakepar, complained that he had cheated the farmers by buying fake walnut saplings without grafting with the connivance of the contractor and the agriculture branch.

He said, “After the rumors of distribution of non-grafting plants, an agronomist was brought and the plants were inspected.” Of the six plants inspected, four were found suspicious.

The rural municipality had purchased saplings from Sundari Agro Hub of Kanka Lal Bahadur GC under the Walnut Promotion Program at a cost of Rs 1.9 million in the current fiscal year.

GC, the operator of Kankasundari Agro Hub Prali, said that most of the 2,900 seedlings distributed were not grafting. “Out of 2900 plants, only 1350 are twin plants and the remaining 1700 are twins,” said GC.

Chairman of Kankasundari village Narbir Rawat has said that he will file a case in the name of nursery owner Hansa Basnet and take legal action.

Hans Basnet of Tila rural municipality-8, who is rich in the nursery, said that he brought the saplings with Deepak Dhanu, director of Purchauli Agro Hub in Baitadi.

Farmers are demanding immediate compensation for digging ditches, manure, water, and labor. Farmer Jung Bahadur Gharti says, “There is no alternative to uprooting the planted seedlings as they are fake.” After all, our hard work and investment were wasted. We deserve compensation. ‘

The farmers have received 75 percent subsidy and the seedlings have been distributed at the rate of Rs 200 per plant to individuals and Rs 800 to groups. Another farmer Bhupendra Malla has demanded immediate compensation of 25 percent of the cost incurred by the farmers.

Mandatta Rawal