Muktsar admn swings into action against black-marketeers

Bt cotton seeds
Muktsar admn swings into action against
black-marketeers
Rajay Deep
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, April 9
The complaint regarding black-marketeers of Bt cotton seeds enjoying a free run in his home district (Muktsar) that reached the CM Parkash Singh Badal on Friday, has landed the district administration here in trouble. A group of farmers complained to the CM about the district administration being indifferent towards their problem and also accused some officials of being hand-in-glove with the seed traders.
Taking serious notice, the CM warned the officials to check the menace or be ready to face the music. Fearing action, the district staff of the agriculture department hurriedly swung into action and launched a special drive.
A team led by Chief Agriculture Officer Darshan Singh Sandhu, conducted raids at six seed shops in Gidderbaha sub-division last evening. During the raid, suspecting foul play, the teams seized the sale-purchase records. Meanwhile, finding evidence of mischief, the team restricted the total sale of two shops till further orders.
The agriculture department staff again conducted raids at various shops today and nabbed a shopkeeper of Gidderbaha selling non-permissible seeds brought from Gujarat to a farmer. Suspecting that the dealer was in possession of a large stock of spurious seeds, the team called the police and handed him over to them to ascertain the facts related to his source, godown etc.
“We were already conducting surprise checks but after the matter reached the CM, the drive has been intensified,” said Sandhu.
Refuting the allegation of being hand-in-glove with the black marketeers, Sandhu said, “We are taking the sale-purchase record of all those suspected to be involved in overcharging and selling fake seeds of Bt cotton. After an in-depth probe, the guilty will have to face action.”