Dept to act against ‘fake’ dealers

Statesman News Service

MALDA, 24 DEC: The deputy director of the department of agriculture of Malda, Mr S Palit has instructed sub-divisional and block level agriculture officials to lodge an FIR against Mr Bhanu Das for allegedly selling paddy seeds without possessing license.

The decision was taken following a complaint lodged with the agriculture development officer (ADO) of Old Malda, Dr Swarnali Bhattacharya, by a group of farmers yesterday.

The farmers had not only lodged a complaint but had also presented the seed seller, Mr Bhanu Das, before the ADO.

The deputy director Mr S Palit said: “I have already instructed my officials to lodge two FIRs with the police station against Mr Bhanu Das. An FIR will be lodged for allegedly selling paddy seeds without a license and another will be lodged on the basis of the complaint filed by the farmers for duping them by selling poor quality seeds”.

The ADO of Gazole, Dr Tushar Kanti Roy, on the other hand, issued an order against an authorised seed dealer in Gazole haat to stop selling seeds for 21 days following an agitation lodged by the farmers today under the banner of Paschim Banga Krishak Samiti backed by the the CPI-ML (Liberation).

“Taking into consideration the farmers’ complaints and some documents we have decided to close the shop belongign to Mr Achinta Sarkar, a license holder, for allegedly selling poor quality and fake seeds. Within 21 days we will complete our inquiry and take a final decision against him after seeking permission from higher authorities”, Dr Roy added.

Mr Bhanu Das said: “I had applied for the license a few months back, but it has been rejected by the agriculture department. I have been selling seeds in different local haats (markets) by procuring seeds from an authorised dealer Mr Achinta Sarkar at Gazole”. The assistant director of agriculture (administration) in Malda, Mr Mir Farhad Hossian said: “The ADO will take the final decision to curb such menace and lodge a FIR against the offender.

The decision has already been communicated to the block offices verbally”. The ADO, Dr Bhattacharya said: “I am supposed take action against unlicensed seed sellers according to the instruction of my authorities. But till date I have not received any written instructions from the deputy director”.

Mr Hossain has already reported to the deputy director that Mr Bhanu Das had tactfully opened a permanent shop for selling seeds in Old Malda block without license.

Dr Bhattacharya will also submit her inquiry report to the deputy director through proper channel following the complaint received from the farmers. It may be noted that hundreds of farmers from Old Malda and Gazole block have suffered huge losses after using paddy seeds procured from the local traders resulting in 40 per cent less harvest than the expected production.

The farmers, under the banner of Paschim Banga Krishak Samiti, backed by the CPI-ML (Liberation), today staged a demonstration in front of the office of the ADO of Gazole block to protest against the selling of fake paddy and other crop seeds from an authorised counter located in Gazole.