Kashmir Scenario Exclusive
Srinagar: While the stinking spurious pesticide scam refuses to die down, yet another bizarre revelation, which could prove a big scandal and could bring major embarrassment to the Peoples Democratic Party, as one of its senior member is involved in the scam, has come to fore. The Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage, Faridabad Haryana, vide their letter No. test result 136/CCC/RPTL/35/2015-16 dated 8-7-2015 (8th July) intimated the Enforcement Department that the sample of Insecticide namely CYCLONE manufactured by FIL Industries Ltd. under Batch No. F/CE-07 (Date of manufacture 25-6-2014) has been declared misbranded. Pertinently FIL Industries Ltd. is owned by Bukhari.
As per the Scientists of SKUAST-Kashmir, Chlorpyriphos, the chemical present in the Cyclone is a very important insecticide used in Kashmir to control various insect pests of fruits and vegetables. Chlorpyriphos accounts for the highest (50%) sale of total insecticides used in Valley, amounting to more than 30 million rupees.
Instead of following the protocol, taking immediate and early action in the matter by seizing the insecticide which has been declared misbranded from the market and to immediately highlight the Misbranded insecticide through print and electronic media informing the farming community not to use the said insecticide, the Deputy Director Law Enforcement, deliberately slept over the issue until the misbranded insecticide was used by the poor farmers and the manufacturers and distributors/dealers have earned quick bucks. The Deputy Directorate got active 50 days after the receipt of report from the Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage, Faridabad Haryana. It may not be out of place to mention that the enforcement agency is supposed to be quick and prompt in its action as it has a very important role in controlling the manufacturing and distribution of pesticides and fertilizers. It is the duty of enforcement agency to ensure that the pesticides which are found spurious, misbranded or below standard do not reach the poor farmer.
Though the Officers of enforcement agency are being paid to stop the sale of spurious pesticides, but, it appears they work to promote the sale of spurious pesticides, said a farmer. The revelation clearly indicates that there is a nexus going on between the enforcement agency and the pesticide manufacturers and distributors.
Pertinently during 2014, the farmers of valley got frustrated with spurious pesticide menace. The pesticides available in the market could not control the diseases of orchard trees and the orchardists had to face huge losses. Different farmer bodies and various fruit grower associations were up in arms protesting against the spurious pesticides. The agitation was widely reported by the media and a Motion was brought by the then NC legislator Javed Ahmad Dar in the J&K Legislative Assembly. The Members of Legislative Assembly demanded ban on sale of spurious pesticides in the State. Dar while initiating discussion on the Adjournment Motion brought by him had called upon the Government to take all preventing measures to save the horticulture crops from various diseases. He had called for complete ban on the supply of such chemicals and strict action against the people responsible for sale of these. He had even suggested constitution of special enforcement squads to keep a close vigil on the market so as to check the sale of spurious pesticides. The MLA had said that earlier the scab diseases used to get wiped out by spaying the fungicides just once and this year even 10 sprays didn’t wipe it out. Dar had also said that enforcement wing orf the department has miserably failed to curb the sale of spurious pesticides in the State. He had demanded strengthening of enforcement agency to save the fruit industry. The then leader of the Opposition in the House, Abdul Rehman Veeri, had described the horticulture as vital sector that has sustained the State in turbulent times. Veeri also had demanded ban on the supply of sub-standard pesticides and action against the culprits responsible for supply of such products. Pertinently, the then Minister for Higher Education, Mohammad Akbar Lone had blamed PDP leader Altaf Bukhari responsible for supplying the spurious pesticides and had claimed that he is being protected by Government agencies and PDP. Independent MLA, Engineer Sheikh Abdul Rashid, had demanded time bound inquiry to establish facts about the dealers who supply spurious pesticides to the farmers. He had sought strict action against the culprits who were responsible for causing loss to the orchards. He had also raised the issue of Analysts who were transferred and harassed by the Government for declaring samples of some pesticide brands including those manufactured by FIL Industries Ltd of Bukhari as misbranded/ spurious. The then PDP MLA Basharat Bukhari while expressing his anguish on the issue had said that this sector is the mainstay of economy of State and Government should pay due attention to save it. He had sought strict action against the spurious pesticide dealers and had called upon the Government to ensure quality chemicals for the farmers. Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen had informed the house that the growers who used traditional methods for saving their orchards from diseases have suffered less loss than those who used scientific methods.
Despite being the focus of attention the notorious enforcement officer, did not mend and kept on working on the directions of power corridors. Ironically he has enjoyed posting in enforcement wing for more than half a decade, while the honest Analysts continue to suffer.
