Punjab launches drive to check sale of fake pesticides

MANSA : To check the sale of spurious pesticide, state agriculture department joint director Dr Rajesh Vashisht led a team that paid a surprise visit to shops and godowns in Mansa on Friday. The department has formed four teams, each under a joint director, which will visit godowns and store houses of pesticides, seeds, fertilisers in the four cotton producing districts of Bathinda, Mansa, Fazilka and Muktsar.

“We are part of a flying squad authorised to visit licenced stores and godowns of fertilizers and other agri-inputs. The drive has been launched to ensure that the farmers are able to purchase quality products,” said Vashisht. Officials from the local agriculture department set-up also accompanied the teams. Samples were also collected.

Deputy director Gurdial Singh said the teams will try to curb loss of cotton crop.