Sangrur, Jan. 17 -- As many as 14 districts of Punjab and nine of Haryana have figured in the list of top 100 urea-consuming districts across the country, with Sangrur topping the chart for the usage of 2,82,800 metric tonnes (MT) last year. The report dated January 9, which has been shared by the Union ministry of chemicals and fertilisers while asking the authorities concerned to check the overuse of fertilisers, also mentions 11 Punjab districts and seven of Haryana among the top 100 diammonium phosphate (DAP) consumers. Apart from Sangrur, the Punjab districts on top urea users' list are Ludhiana (fourth), Patiala (eighth), Bathinda (ninth), Muktsar (15th), Amritsar (27th), Ferozepur (30th), Jalandhar (34th), Mansa (38th), Moga (43rd), Fazilka (49th), Tarn Taran (50th), Gurdaspur (56th) and Barnala (95th). Similarly, Sirsa (sixth), Karnal (12th), Jind (20th), Kaithal (25th), Fatehabad (26th), Hisar (41st), Kurukshetra (55th), Yamunanagar (60th) and Sonipat (73rd) are Haryana districts which have been flagged by the central government. Regarding DAP usage, Ludhiana (13th), Sangrur (22nd), Jalandhar (27th), Muktsar (42nd), Bathinda (47th), Ferozepur (62nd), Moga (69th), Fazilka (80th), Amritsar (89th), Patiala (94th) and Tarn Taran (97th) are the districts of concern from Punjab while Haryana's Sirsa (third), Hisar (17th), Fatehabad (34th), Karnal (44th), Kurukshetra (56th), Jind (68th) and Bhiwani (87th) have also been asked to promote judicious use of nutrients. In the letter sent to the respective district administrations, Krishna Kant Pathak, joint secretary of the Union government's department of fertilisers, mentioned that there was an urgent need to check overuse of fertilisers in the larger interest of soil health, water security, public health, agricultural sustainability and optimal utilisation of the fertiliser subsidy. "The imbalanced and excessive fertiliser usage has reached alarming levels and warrants immediate corrective action," the letter stated, adding that 440 districts across the country have reported groundwater contamination, including nitrate levels far exceeding permissible limits. Officials have been directed to personally accord priority to this matter and initiate a mission-mode approach to promote judicious use of fertilisers. Jaswant Singh, director of Punjab agriculture and farmers welfare department, said inspections were being conducted. "The department is organising awareness camps to promote the judicious use of fertilisers. The primary reason behind the overuse is farmers getting influenced by their neighbours using fertilisers excessively. The urea and the DAP are though essential for crops, they must not be overused. Due to awareness camps, the use of fertilisers across the state is being reduced," he said. An expert from Panjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, wishing not to be named, said farmers had the perception that using more urea and DAP would result in more yield, but that is not the case. Meanwhile, Sangrur deputy commissioner (DC) Rahul Chaba said meetings to educate farmers were conducted with the stakeholders on Friday. "We were able to reduce the stubble burning cases in the district. Similarly, we will reduce the usage of urea and DAP. The block agriculture officials have been told to hold camps and make villagers aware about the fertilisers and their impact on soil health," he said....