Tonnes of abandoned pesticides, bio-fertilizers found in Pb

Amid Punjab police launching a crackdown on suppliers of spurious pesticides in cotton belt area following massive damage to crops due to pest attack, over 4,000 kg of pesticides and bio-fertilisers were found in Fazilka district of the state.
"We have found pesticides and bio-fertilisers which were left abandoned near Southern canal at Fazilka," Chief Agricultural Officer, Fazilka, Hardeep Singh Bhullar said today.
He informed that 80 kg of pesticides, 146 bags (24 kg each), 103 bags (4 kg each) and 231 bags (1 kg each) of bio-fertilisers were recovered and the material has been handed over to police. A case has also been registered in this regard at Arniwala police station, Bhullar said.

Police suspects that fearing police action, unscrupulous dealers who have not renewed their licenses to operate their business may have disposed off pesticides and bio-fertilisers.
However, it was yet to be found that who disposed off the pesticides and bio-fertilisers here.
"We have recovered expired bio-fertilisers and a case has been registered in this regard," Fazilka SSP Swapan Sharma said.

Punjab police have launched a crackdown on unscrupulous suppliers of pesticides in the wake of allegation of supply of fake pesticides to farmers which led to massive cotton damage caused by whitefly attack.
Police have already arrested senior officer of Agriculture department for his alleged involvement in the supply of spurious pesticides to cotton growers.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Police under the direct supervision of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Crime is already probing into the sale of spurious pesticides.