PUNJAB AGRICULTURE DEPT SEIZES PICKUP TRUCK LADEN WITH SPURIOUS PESTICIDES IN BATHINDA

PUNJAB AGRICULTURE DEPT SEIZES PICKUP TRUCK LADEN WITH SPURIOUS PESTICIDES IN BATHINDA

• 4.48 quintals of powder form and 34 liters of liquid pesticides seized, informs Gurmeet Singh Khudian

• Agriculture Minister directs officials to initiate strict action against illegal pesticide dealers

Chandigarh, August 3:

Amidst the ongoing drive against spurious fertilizer and pesticide dealers in the state launched on the directions of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department on Saturday seized a huge stock of unauthorized pesticides from a pick-up truck coming from Haryana. to supply these agriculture inputs to farmers in Bathinda and nearby districts.

The development came close on the heels of the Agriculture department seizing 1200 liters of spurious pesticides manufactured by M/s Woodland Agritec India (HR), Kaithal from Bathinda on July 18, 2024.

Divulging details about the seizure, Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian said that acting on a reliable information regarding influx of spurious pesticides by Haryana based persons to sell them to farmers at lucrative prices, teams of Agriculture Department Bathinda led by Chief Agriculture Bathinda laid a Naka at Block Phul in Bathinda and found huge quantity of unauthorized pesticides loaded in a pick-up truck, stopped during the checking.

He said that the teams have seized around 4.48 quintals in powder form and 34 liters of different pesticides including 400kg cartap hydrochloride, 20kg root tech, 12 liter paraquat dichloride, 20kg accephate, 4 liter azoxystrobin+tebuconazole, 18 liter tiger (bio plant protection) , 5kg thiamethoxam and 3kg emamectin benzoate. The seized stock of unauthorized pesticides belongs to Jaswant Rasayan, Coromandel and Gujrat Pesticides, which are not allowed to sell pesticides in the state of Punjab.

The Agriculture Minister said that samples of different pesticides have also been drawn as per the Insecticides Act 1968 & Rules 1971 and the department has also initiated the process to lodge an FIR in this matter.

Notably, the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department had recently canceled the licenses of two fertilizer companies for supplying substandard Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) to the cooperative societies in the state.

Director Agriculture Jaswant Singh said that all chief agriculture officers have been directed to tighten the noose around spurious fertilizer and pesticide dealers and the sampling of fertilizers and pesticides is being done continuously in the districts, besides ensuring appropriate action on priority basis if any complaint regarding substandard /spurious fertilizers or any other agricultural products come to notice.