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| Mafia stores substandard pesticides, fertilizers with impunity | | | Javaid Naikoo
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Feb 24: In absence of a Pesticides Regulatory Board, politically backed Mafia is active once again to supply substandard pesticides and fertilizers to Kashmir markets, thereby creating fear of loss in production in advance among Orchardists.
Barring previous agricultural season in which government curbed sale and supply of substandard Pesticides and Fertilizers with strictness in Kashmir division, people from different parts of Kashmir told Early Times today that one noted politically backed group of people is active once again to supply substandard pesticides and fertilizers to Kashmir markets.
Orchardists from North and south Kashmir said that process to store substandard fish oil, Pesticides and fertilizers of hundreds of companies bearing different names and Price tags has already started in their areas and opportunists are enjoying complete political and bureaucratic patronage in this heinous crime allegedly in exchange of hefty amounts of money.
"We fear huge loss in advance again this year as these opportunists are busy in stocking fish oil, pesticides and fertilizers without testing them in laboratories before allowed to supply and store.Barring last year, it will be sixth year when dominating percentage of apple production is expected to be of B and C grade as orchardists will have no option except to use substandard pesticides and fertilizers in their orchards and ultimately it will result in huge loss to Orchardists." Gulzar Ahmad of Sopore said. It was after lot of hue and cry over the supply of substandard pesticides and fertilizers to Kashmir that former Finance Minister in his maiden budget then announced to set up a pesticides Regulatory board to curb supply of substandard pesticides and fertilizers.
However according to official sources proposed Pesticides regulatory board is not yet functional and may take more time as documentation process is still incomplete which will later be followed by mandatory nod from state administration led by Governor NN Vohra to start operating in the state.
In absence of a pesticides regulatory board agriculture experts said that department of agriculture despite willingness cannot curb sale and supply of substandard pesticides and fertilizers to state due to some legal bindings.
They said that pesticides and fertilizers available in markets cannot be tested in Laboratories of state as these does not fall in line with insecticide act of India 1968.
Experts believe that once a regulation board is set up, pesticides which fall under pesticide act of India 1968 and F.C.O 1985 shall be allowed to supply to Jammu and Kashmir after thoroughly testing them in laboratories and accordingly recommended on time for Orchardists to use.
Experts said that hundreds of unchecked pesticides and fertilizers available in the markets are completely substandard in nature and are like packs of "fried soil" which does not contain even 0% nutrients value in them.
When contacted Director Agriculture Kashmir Altaf Ahmad Shah said that they will make sure complete ban on sale and supply of substandard pesticides and fertilizers across Kashmir and people involved in this business will be dealt with strict punishment. |
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