IEP Chandigarh, April 22
A case has been registered against a businessman of Bathinda on charges of unauthorized possession of pesticides and fertilizers. Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said that on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to provide quality pesticides to farmers, Joint Director Agriculture (PP) recently checked 15 warehouses of pesticide companies along with three teams of Bathinda staff. A case has been registered against Pankaj S/o Kesh Raj Garg for illegally keeping pesticides and fertilizers in a warehouse during checking. He said that during the checking, a warehouse of T-Stanes and Company Limited was checked at K.C. complex, Sivian Road, Bathinda. The warehouse was opened by Pankaj, the owner of the warehouse. During the checking, it was found that a large quantity of insecticides and fertilizers of T- Stanes and Co. Ltd. were stored illegally in the warehouse. Pankaj Kumar has not shown any documents regarding the records of these pesticides and fertilizers. Therefore, Section 13 of Insecticide Act 1968, Section 10, 15 of Rules 1971 and Section 7, 8 of Fertilizer Control Order 1985 and Section 3, 7 of Essential Commodities Act 1955 and IPC 420 were filed against Pankaj. FIR No. 48 dated 20-04-2023 at Thana Thermal Bathinda has been filed. He farther said that 8 samples of pesticides and 4 samples of fertilizers have been sent from the warehouse for testing and further action is being taken as per the Act. The Agriculture Minister said that no person, trader or company would be spared, who would sell substandard pesticides and fertilizers to farmers.
