Cong to launch stir against pesticide scam
Wednesday, 30/09/2015
http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Tribune/
Fazilka : The Congress has decided to launch an agitation to protest against the multi-crore pesticide scam that led to outbreak of whitefly in the border belt.
Former Congress MLA from Fazilka and former Parliamentary Secretary Dr Mohinder Rinwa alleged that the Director of the Agriculture Department was being made a scapegoat to save the ruling party leaders who are at the helm of the affairs.
He expressed surprise that how a Director of Agriculture, who had the competency of purchasing pesticides up to Rs 10 lakh only, could make purchases worth Rs 33 crore, that too without floating tenders and without bringing the issue to the knowledge of Agriculture Minister Tota Singh.
Rinwa warned that if the affected farmers who suffered Rs 1,200-crore loss following the attack of whitefly, are not compensated suitably within fortnight, the party would stage protest in the district.
The former MLA rued that the government even did not bother about the guar producers of this border belt, whose crop also got damaged due to whitefly attack. He also demanded special girdawari in this regard to assess the loss.
“To save the farmers, the government should announce the MSP of fine variety of 1121 basmati paddy which is likely to hit the market,” he demanded.
Dr Rinwa said, “It is unfortunate that a government that is not able to pay the salaries of employees due to empty coffers is ready to shell out Rs 7 crore on actors for their participation in kabaddi event.”
