A clandestine operation repacking fertilisers and insecticides was shut down in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi district after a coordinated raid by government officials. The illegal unit was found operating from within the premises of an intermediate college, leading to the registration of a police case against two individuals.
Complaint Triggers Joint Operation
The action was set in motion following a formal complaint submitted by Ashish Jangda of True Buddy Consulting Pvt Ltd. Acting on this complaint and subsequent directives from the district magistrate, a joint team swung into action. This team included District Agriculture Officer Rajesh Kumar and Naib Tehsildar Ajay Kumar Singh, supported by police personnel.
They conducted a surprise raid on the campus of Pramod Alok Intermediate College, located on Manglapur Kakwa Road in Amethi. To their surprise, officials discovered that a room inside the college premises was being utilised for the unauthorised packaging of agricultural chemicals.
On-Spot Findings and Seizures
During the raid, one Ram Ujagir Yadav was caught red-handed while filling sacks with insecticide packets of a prominent company. Yadav identified himself as a labourer. Upon questioning, it was revealed that the unit was allegedly being run by one Shivam Tiwari.
The officials made significant seizures from the site, which included:
- 414 sealed packets and 38 filled packets of a well-known company's insecticides.
- 443 suspected counterfeit wrappers intended for packaging.
- A packing machine, a stitching machine, two weighing machines, and thread reels.
The insecticides were prima facie found to be of substandard quality. When the accused were asked to produce necessary documents such as a manufacturing or packaging licence and a stock register, they failed to provide any valid paperwork.
Legal Action and Investigation
An FIR has been registered against the two persons for multiple violations, including the Fertiliser Control Order (FCO), the Insecticides Act, and the Essential Commodities Act.
Amethi SP Aparna Rajat Kaushik informed that an inventory of all seized material was prepared on the spot in the presence of the Naib Tehsildar. Subsequently, the room used for the illegal activity was sealed. Samples of the suspected fertilisers and insecticides have been collected and sent to laboratories for detailed quality testing to ascertain the exact nature and threat of the products being repacked.
This bust highlights the ongoing challenges of spurious agricultural inputs in the market, which pose a direct threat to farmer welfare and crop yield. The use of a college campus for such illegal activity has raised further questions about the oversight of institutional premises.
