DW BUREAU / chandigarh
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today asked chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh to sack Punjab Agro Corporation Chairman Joginder Singh Mann immediately and order an independent probe into the Gypsum fertiliser scam. In a statement here, former minister and SAD Kisan wing President Sikandar Singh Maluka also asked chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh to get a criminal case registered for corruption in the supply of sub standard gypsum at exorbitant rates as well as huge freight charges incurred for the same.
Maluka also asked the chief minister to stop payment for the gypsum ordered by Punjab Agro immediately to ensure the State exchequer was not looted. He also asked the chief minister to take all purchase being done by Punjab Agro under his direct supervision besides calling for a clean up in the Agriculture department which was under him to stop such corrupt practices.
The Kisan wing Chairman said it was shocking that Punjab Agro had purchased sub standard gypsum to provide the same to farmers as an agriculture fertiliser. He said as per the test report of the gypsum purchased it was revealed that against a required copper sulphate content of 70 per cent, the copper sulphate in the purchased lot was only 20 per cent. He said this was not all. He said the government had paid an exorbitant amount of Rs 1150 per tonne as freight and handling charges for transport of the fertiliser from Bikaner to Punjab.
Maluka said farmers would also not benefit from this purchase. He said even though the landing cost of the gypsum fertiliser was Rs 2200 per tonne, the government was selling it at Rs 4400 per tonne. "There is no justification for such a hike. The government cannot act as a profit making agency," Maluka added.
The Kisan Wing president also asked the chief minister to look into the problems being faced by the farming community in the State. He said sugarcane dues of Rs 300 crore were due to farmers and should be released immediately. He also asked the chief minister to reduce State VAT on diesel by Rs 10 per litre to give much needed relief to the farming sector.
(editor@dailyworld.in)