Agri Dept issues show-cause notice to Yamunanagar industrial urea firm 

The authorities of Haryana Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, Yamunanagar, have issued a show-cause notice to a distributor of the industrial urea for alleged forgery and misuse of agricultural subsidy.

This action was taken after a sample of the technical (industrial) grade urea failed due to the presence of neem oil (a component of subsidised agriculture grade urea).

The Agriculture Department came to know that a firm, M/S Vintech Overseas, of Yamunanagar had allegedly engaged in the unauthorised sale and distribution of technical grade urea containing neem oil, which was subsidised under agricultural schemes for specific farming-related purposes only.

A joint inspection was conducted at the godown of this firm by a joint team of the Ministry of Fertilisers and the Agriculture Department, Yamunanagar, on February 20. During the raid, 200 bags of technical grade urea were found stocked there. Three samples were collected by a fertiliser inspector, Yamunanagar.

“The laboratory reports were received on April 17. Of the three samples, one was declared non-standard, indicating the presence of neem oil, a component designated solely for urea under government agricultural subsidy schemes. Therefore, the firm, M/S Vintech Overseas, was issued a show-notice on April 18,” said Aditya Pratap Dabas, Deputy Director, Haryana Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, Yamunanagar.

The firm has been directed to submit its reply in five working days from the date of issuance of the notice as to why legal, administrative and criminal action should not be initiated against you under the aforementioned laws. The notice further reads that failure to respond within the stipulated period shall be treated as an admission of guilt and proceedings shall be initiated accordingly without further reference.

It is alleged that the owners of a number of plywood factories are using subsidised agriculture grade urea illegally to prepare glue, which is used as an adhesive to prepare plywood products. The rates of subsidized agriculture grade urea (Rs 266.50 per bag) are much lower than the rates of technical grade urea (Rs 2,000-Rs 3,000 per bag).