930 packets of ‘spurious’ BT cotton seeds seized
Archit Watts
Tribune News Service
Muktsar, May 2
As the cotton-sowing season has started, spurious BT cotton seeds or those not recommended by the Agriculture Department have already reached the market. A team of the department conducted a surprise visit to Gidderbaha and seized 930 packets of BT cotton seeds not recommended by the department from a shop.
Further, a letter of recommendation of these seeds with forged signature of the Director, Agriculture Department, was also found from the Chandan Hybrid Seed Company, Gidderbaha, said Baljinder Singh Brar, Chief Agriculture Officer, Muktsar.
He said, “Our Joint Director Sukhdev Singh had come here on Wednesday to pay a surprise visit to seed shops and 930 packets of 450 gm each of BT cotton seeds not recommended by the Agriculture Department were found. The seeds are of Gujarat-based Vishwas Biogenetic Seeds Private Limited. A complaint in this regard has been given to the Gidderbaha police. Action has been sought against the person who issued the seed recommendation letter with forged signature of our director.”
He said as per the letter the company had opened a store in Bathinda district, said the Chief Agriculture Officer.
Meanwhile, the Agriculture Department appealed to the farmers to sow seeds of recommended variety only and in case of any confusion asked them to approach the local officials.
The department has also alerted the officials in the cotton belt to keep a check on such illegal practice.
Signatures forged
These seeds, which were not recommended by the department, were seized from a shop in Gidderbaha. A letter of recommendation of these seeds with forged signature of the Director, Agriculture Department, was also found from Chandan Hybrid Seed Company.
