Another stock of bogus fertilizer seized during raid

AURANGABAD: Following action against marketing and sale of bogus seeds and fertilizers last month, new stock of bogus fertilizers was seized from Sillod on Friday by Zilla Parishad’s agriculture department. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) activists who had demanded strong action against such activities say that authorities have failed to instill fear among the offenders.
Meanwhile, district quality inspector said that Aurangabad has registered maximum of five cases against the sale and marketing of bogus fertilizers and seeds in the state.
Following a tip-off about storage of bogus fertilizers, Zilla Parishad’s agriculture department had launched a raid at a godown in Jijau Vyapar Sankul on Aurangabad-Jalgaon Road. Subsequently, the inspection team sealed the godown. The material found carried a Shendra MIDC based address of the manufacturer National Agro Industries.
According to district quality inspector Ashish Kalushe, the drive to search the address of the manufacturer went on until 2am on Saturday; however, it turned out to be fake.
MNS activist and homeopath doctor Vilas Jagdale said that the traders and dealers of bogus fertilisers and seeds are fearless. “There has been no action in Paithan Taluka by the agriculture team so far. Large amount of fake fertiliser found in the recent action goes on to show that the offenders are unaffected by the raids. The monsoon has arrived and the farmers are making purchases of fertilisers and seeds in large quantity. We cannot say how much of that is authentic,” Jagdale said.
Earlier, MNS Vijay Chavan and Jagdale had demanded to book fake fertiliser sellers under section 306 and 107 of the IPC. “The bogus fertilisers and seeds cause huge financial losses to farmers which also pushes them to take the extreme step of ending their life. Such activities are directly responsible for farmer suicides,” Jagdale said.
Kalushe said that his team undertook inspections in Balanagar and Bidkin in Paithan Taluka on Sunday. More inspections in the taluka will continue over the coming days. Nine talukas teams and one district team are active to detect any such offenders.