Malerkotla: Alleging spurious fertiliser supply, farmers threaten to launch agitation
Mahesh Sharma
Malerkotla, July 9
Accusing traders and authorities at the cooperative societies of the region of duping peasants by supplying spurious fertiliser and pesticides to them, farmers have threatened to launch an agitation in case an action was not taken against those involved in the alleged racket.
An ultimatum was given through memoranda handed over to senior functionaries of the Agricultural Department, seeking a verification of the genuineness of agricultural products being supplied by the societies and traders to the farmers.
Jagdeep Singh Bhullar, assistant tehsil secretary, CPM, said office-bearers and activists of various wings of the Punjab Kisan Sabha, led by Kartar Singh, tehsil secretary, CPM, and district convener Bahadur Singh had handed over memoranda to senior functionaries in Agricultural Department, demanding an action against those who were caught supplying spurious DAP fertiliser.
Kisan Sabha president Rup Singh Waraich and general secretary Baljit Singh Grewal had earlier advised office-bearers and activists of their outfits to organise protest meetings and hand over the memoranda to the authorities concerned in their respective areas.
“Impress upon the District Agriculture Officer of your area to seal samples of DAP and pesticides supplied by a particular company to the cooperative societies of the area,” state leaders had advised their members. The protesters also urged the administration to make public the reports of DAP and pesticide samples seizures and book the suspects.
