Drive against subsidised urea in plywood factories

Tribune News Service

Yamunanagar, December 23

The local administration has started a drive against the use of the subsidised urea in the plywood industry here. A team comprising Jagadhri SDM Sushil Kumar and quality control inspector (QCI) of the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, Yamunanagar, Dr Bal Mukand, conducted raids at 27 plywood factories in Yamunanagar district in the past week.

“We have been conducting raids at plywood factories to stop the illegal use of the subsidised urea since December 16. We have so far raided 27 factories, but no such urea was found at any factory,” said QCI, Dr Bal Mukand.

According to information, the rates of technical grade urea are much higher than those of the subsidised urea, therefore some plywood factories are allegedly using subsidised urea to prepare glue which is used as an adhesive to make ply, board and other related products.

“The rate of the subsidised urea is Rs 266.50 per bag (45 kg bag). However, the rate of technical grade urea is about Rs 2,800 per bag of 45 kg (including 18 per cent GST),” said a source. The source further said that the plywood industry could use only technical grade urea or other chemicals to prepare glue and the subsidised urea could be used only by farmers in their crops.

Jasvinder Saini, deputy director agriculture, Yamunanagar, said the inspection team was asking the owners of the plywood factories to produce bills of the technical grade urea.