Jaipur, Sep 29 (IANS) In a late-night crackdown, Rajasthan Agriculture Minister Dr Kirodi Lal Meena raided two fertilizer factories in Bikaner’s Kolayat area, seizing 64,000 bags of counterfeit fertilizer and ordering both units to be sealed.

He termed the operation a major step against fertilizer adulteration that is damaging farmland and cheating farmers.

According to officials, the seized fertilizer was mixed with soil and supplied not only to several districts of Rajasthan, but also to Nepal.

“Such adulteration is making cultivable land barren. This is nothing short of a conspiracy against farmers,” the Minister said after the raid.

The raid started at around 10 p.m. on Sunday, when Minister Meena arrived at the Naal Bypass and called Joint Director of Agriculture, Madan Lal, along with other officials.

The team first raided a factory in Gangapura village, Gajner police station area, where 24,000 bags of spurious fertilizer were seized. Later, the team moved to another factory located three km from Sankhla Phanta in Kolayat, where 40,000 bags were recovered.

In total, 64,000 bags containing soil-mixed fertilizer were confiscated.

Along with the stock, documents, and company records were also seized for further investigation.

This is not the first time Minister Meena has carried out surprise inspections. In July, he raided warehouses in Bichwal, Bikaner, where adulterated fertilizer was found.

Just a day before the Bikaner raid, he conducted a crackdown in Sriganganagar. On September 25, he visited a fertilizer shop in Alwar’s Umrain area after farmers complained of being overcharged.

The shopkeeper was found guilty of forcing farmers to pay Rs 950 extra for two bags of fertilizer.

On September 28, the Minister inspected markets in Rawal and Ghadsana, Sriganganagar, where counterfeit seeds and fertilizers were seized and irregularities in seed company records were uncovered. Their sales were immediately banned.

Joint Director Madan Lal confirmed that the sealing process of both Bikaner factories is underway. “All records are being collected and will be cross-verified.

The operation will be completed by Monday,” he said.

–IANS

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