2,784 bags of subsidised agri-grade urea seized in Yamunanagar village

Tribune News Service

Yamunanagar, April 1

A joint team of the Fertiliser Flying Squad, belonging to the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers and the Haryana Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, has seized an illegal consignment of 2,784 bags of subsidised agriculture-grade urea in the district.

This unauthorised urea was found in a building located near Raipur village. According to available information, this is the biggest consignment of illegal urea recovered in several years.

The team, consisting of six members from the Fertiliser Flying Squad and several members from the Agriculture Department, Yamunanagar, including Rakesh Poria, Subject Matter Specialist (Plant Protection) and Harish Pandey, Subject Matter Specialist (Agro), conducted an inspection at the building last night, which concluded today evening. During the inspection, the joint team discovered the illegal consignment of subsidised agriculture-grade urea in the building and seized it.

The urea bags were manufactured by three companies in Uttar Pradesh, indicating that the consignment might have been brought here allegedly to supply it to plywood factories. The team also recovered a tractor-trailer and two utility vehicles from the same building and handed them over to the police. The owner of the building where the urea was found is yet to be ascertained.

Dr Rakesh Poria said after completing the procedure of seizure and sealing, the custody of the consignment has been handed over to the police. The team has also requested the police to lodge an FIR in connection with the seized consignment of urea.

Dr Poria added that strict action would be taken against fertiliser dealers and plywood factory owners who are found selling and using agriculture grade urea illegally.

Used in plywood factories

• The Centre provides subsidised fertilisers at a reasonable rate. A 45-kg urea bag costs Rs 266. The rate of technical-grade urea is several times higher (Rs 2,500-Rs 3,000 per 50-kg bag ) than that of agri-grade urea
• The subsidised agri-grade urea can only be used for agriculture purposes. However, it is alleged that several plywood factories in Yamunanagar district are using subsidised urea to prepare an adhesive

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