The state government today set up a high-level committee to look into complaints of alleged purchase of spurious insecticides and pesticides.
The government was under pressure from the Opposition that has been seeking a probe into the matter. Leaders such as former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and Aam Aadmi’s Bhagwant Mann and Suchha Singh Chhottepur have condemned the government on the matter.
A three-member police team, headed by Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota, Director, Bureau of Investigation, will look into the complaints regarding spurious pesticides.
Other members of the team are BK Bawa, Inspector-General of Police (Bathinda zone), JK Jain, Inspector-General (Intelligence and Counter Intelligence) and G Nageshwar Rao, Inpsector-General (Crime). The team has been set up on the directions of Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal.
It is the second inquiry to be ordered into the allegations over procurement of substandard and ineffective insecticides that failed to check whitefly attack on the cotton crop in the Malwa region.
The Agriculture Department had reportedly placed order to procure insecticides worth Rs17 crore to provide the same to farmers at 50 per cent subsidy. However, following complaints regarding the quality of insecticides, Agriculture Minister Tota Singh had directed the authorities concerned to stop the payment to the companies from which the stock was procured.
Farmers have suffered losses to the tune of Rs700 crore due to damage to cotton crop across the cotton belt comprising Bathinda, Mansa, Muktsar, Barnala, Fazilka and other adjoining areas. Widespread attack of whitefly on the crop has now spread to other crops such as guar. Repeated bouts of spray of insecticides failed to check it. It was alleged that due to poor quality of insecticides, white fly could not be contained.
The government was under pressure from the Opposition that has been seeking a probe into the matter. Leaders such as former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and Aam Aadmi’s Bhagwant Mann and Suchha Singh Chhottepur have condemned the government on the matter.
A three-member police team, headed by Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota, Director, Bureau of Investigation, will look into the complaints regarding spurious pesticides.
Other members of the team are BK Bawa, Inspector-General of Police (Bathinda zone), JK Jain, Inspector-General (Intelligence and Counter Intelligence) and G Nageshwar Rao, Inpsector-General (Crime). The team has been set up on the directions of Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal.
It is the second inquiry to be ordered into the allegations over procurement of substandard and ineffective insecticides that failed to check whitefly attack on the cotton crop in the Malwa region.
The Agriculture Department had reportedly placed order to procure insecticides worth Rs17 crore to provide the same to farmers at 50 per cent subsidy. However, following complaints regarding the quality of insecticides, Agriculture Minister Tota Singh had directed the authorities concerned to stop the payment to the companies from which the stock was procured.
Farmers have suffered losses to the tune of Rs700 crore due to damage to cotton crop across the cotton belt comprising Bathinda, Mansa, Muktsar, Barnala, Fazilka and other adjoining areas. Widespread attack of whitefly on the crop has now spread to other crops such as guar. Repeated bouts of spray of insecticides failed to check it. It was alleged that due to poor quality of insecticides, white fly could not be contained.
