AGRICULTURE MINISTER GURMEET SINGH KHUDIANORDERS CAOS TO STEP UP SURPRISE CHECKS, TERMS SUBSTANDARD AGRI-INPUTS CRIME AGAINST AGRARIAN COMMUNITY
Face2News/Chandigarh/Bathinda
Coming down heavily against illegal fertilisers, Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare department has seized 140 quintals of illegal fertilisers and an FIR has been registered against a Thane (Maharashtra) based company, M/s Kay Bee Bio-Organics Pvt. Ltd., for violating the Fertiliser Control Order (FCO), 1985 and the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. Two individuals – Ravi Kumar of Muzaffar Nagar (UP) and Sable Ashant Hanumant of Maharashtra– have also been named in the FIR lodged at Thermal Police Station, Bathinda.
Sharing the details, Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian said that the action followed a secret-information-led raid at a warehouse in Ganpati Complex, Malout Road, Bathinda, conducted by Agriculture department team.
The Agriculture Minister further said that the team found that the stored fertilisers did not conform to specifications prescribed under the Fertiliser Control Order. The company did not possess a valid fertiliser licence from the state Agriculture Department and was selling agricultural inputs from premises licensed only for pesticide business — a violation of Clauses 7 and 8 of the Fertiliser Control Order, 1985, and Section 3 and 7 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian said that 140 quintals of illegal fertilisers could have devastated thousands of acres and harmed farmers financial interests. Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government will not allow any company or any person to compromise the quality of agricultural inputs in Punjab.
Directing all Chief Agriculture Officers (CAOs) to intensify surprise inspections, S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian stated, “Violating the Fertiliser Control Order is a crime against our agrarian community. Strictest action will be taken against the violators. He also urged the state farmers to buy certified fertilisers and seeds only from licensed dealers and report suspicious activity to their nearest agriculture office.