Yamunanagar plywood factories hoodwink officials, found using subsidised urea

Shiv Kumar Sharma

Yamunanagar, August 10

Plywood factories in Yamunanagar district are using subsidised agriculture grade urea instead of technical grade urea by hoodwinking the authorities.

Three separate FIRs were registered against the owners of three such plywood factories in the district on the complaint of Haryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department, Yamunangar, that took swift action after receiving the analysis report from the Central Fertiliser Quality Control and Training Institute, Faridabad.

Using urea meant for agricultural use

• The rate of subsidised agriculture grade urea is Rs 266.50 per bag, but that of technical grade urea is over Rs 2K per bag
• As many as 15 samples of suspected urea revealed that six of these had neem oil content, which is meant for agri
• Now, on Agriculture Department’s complaint, three FIRs have been registered against factory owners

According to information, a joint team of the Directorate of Fertiliser, Government of India, and Haryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department, Yamunanagar, conducted raids at several plywood factories in Yamunanagar district in July 2022 to stop the alleged use of subsidised agriculture grade urea in industrial units.

During raids, the authorities of Agriculture Department, Yamunanagar, took a sample of glue and 15 samples of technical grade urea from 11 plywood factories and sent these for examination at the Central Fertiliser Quality Control and Training Institute, Faridabad.

Action being taken

We have received the report of samples of technical grade urea and action is being taken as per the Fertiliser Control Order, 1985. —Jaswinder Singh Saini, Deputy director, Agriculture Department, Yamunanagar

As many as 15 samples of the suspected samples showed that six of these had neem oil content, which was meant for agriculture use and not for industrial purpose.

Two FIRs were registered at Buria police station on Wednesday and another at Sadar police station, Yamunanagar, on Tuesday under Sections 10, 3, 7 of the Essential Commodities Act, Sections 25, 28 of the Fertiliser Control Order and Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code.

As per rules, plywood factories can use only technical grade urea and other chemicals to prepare glue.

But, the owners of several plywood factories are allegedly using agriculture grade urea to prepare these adhesives as the rate of subsidised agriculture grade urea is only Rs 266.50 per bag (45-kg bag), however, the rate of technical grade urea is more than Rs 2,000 per bag (50 kg bag). The neem coated urea was introduced to end diversion of fertiliser for industrial use.