Cong seeks probe in 'underweight' fertilizer bags sold by GSFC

Mounting its pressure on the Gujarat government over the issue of underweight fertilizer bags of the GSFC sold to farmers, state Congress leaders called on Governor O P Kohli over the issue and demanded a judicial inquiry under sitting high court judge.

While the Congress termed the sale of underweight DAP fertilizer as a "huge scam", state Agriculture minister R C Faldu claimed that farmers lost only Rs 16 lakh for purchasing fertilizer produced by the state PSU- Gujarat State Fertilizers and Chemicals (GSFC).

The Congress delegation was led by the leader of opposition in the Assembly, Paresh Dhanani, and senior party leader Arjun Modhwadia.

Dhanani claimed that the government is trying to cover up the "scam", which he alleged, has been going on since the last many years.

"This government is trying to cover up the scam in the name of investigation. The SFC is producing around 2 lakh bags of DAP fertilizer everyday and farmers are being given 500 grams less since the last many years. We demanded a judicial inquiry from a sitting high court judge," Dhanani said after meeting the governor.

Earlier Monday, Sujit Gulati, Managing Director of GSFC had said moisture loss, coupled with a technical error in the automatic weighing machine at the company's plant were responsible for lighter DAP fertilizer bags, each weighing 50 kgs.

Refuting the allegations of any misdeed, Faldu said the company has been told to pack 125 grams extra in each bags from now onwards.

"Congress people see scams in each and everything. This is not a scam or theft. The total loss is of just Rs 16 lakh. The state government has already asked the company to take care in the future. We have also asked GSFC to pack 125 grams extra in each bag," said Faldu.

The issue came to the fore a week back when farmers in Rajkot district had complained that 50-kg DAP fertilizer bags were lighter by around 400 grams after some of them carried out a check at the GSFC's fertilizer distribution depot in Jetpur town.