Punjab Agri chief removed

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 17

Punjab Agriculture Director Mangal Singh Sandhu was today removed from the post for reportedly purchasing pesticide that failed to tackle the whitefly attack on cotton. He has been replaced by Gurdial Singh, the senior most joint director of the department.

Sandhu is accused of having placed an order to buy 92,000 litre Oberon — a pesticide not recommended by the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) — without floating tenders or getting into competitive bidding.

He is also accused of having bought the pesticide at a price higher than the market price. In market, it is available for Rs 3,000 a litre, but Sandhu reportedly bought it for Rs 3,550 per litre. The pesticide was bought for Rs 33 crore in eight districts of Malwa region.

Sources say an official inquiry into the “pesticide scam”, ordered earlier by Agriculture Minister Tota Singh and being conducted by the Agriculture Special Secretary, is also underway. The inquiry report is expected to be submitted by the month-end and Sandhu has been removed in the wake of the inquiry still pending against him.

Sandhu’s removal as the Agriculture Director is significant as he is considered to enjoy the patronage of Dyal Singh Kolianwali, a close confidant of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. He also belongs to the Chief Minister’s constituency Lambi (Pakki village) and his tenure as the Agriculture Director has been rather controversial. Sandhu had retired in April but has been on extension, in accordance with the state government policy of granting two years’ extension after superannuation at the age of 58. Sources say his removal became imminent today after the Congress raised the issue. Former MLA Sukhpal Khaira had yesterday produced copies of the order issued by Sandhu to buy the pesticide from Bayer Crop Sciences Limited.