Adilabad: Special task force teams have been formed to control the sale of spurious cotton seeds in the wake of farmers preparing to sow after rains in the erstwhile Adilabad district.
The agriculture department also conducted raids on godowns. Cotton is expected to be cultivated on 4.40 lakh acres for kharif in Adilabad district.
The police are focusing on sale of spurious seeds in Adilabad and Komaram Bheem Asifabad district and raided godowns to seize spurious cotton seeds from various places. The state government took serious note of the sale, which is rampant in the bordering mandal in the Komaram Bheem Asifabad district.
Kagaznagar Task Force police seized 20 quintals of spurious cotton seeds worth Rs 60 lakh and arrested three persons in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district. The seeds were being transported to Kagaznagar from Karnataka.
Meanwhile, Adilabad police seized 78 spurious seed packets and 10 kg loose spurious cotton seeds and filed cases against seven persons in three cases over the last week. The police asked farmers to buy from licensed fertilisers and seed shops and verify labels and check manufacture and expiry date.
The police is focusing on those who were earlier found guilty of selling spurious seeds. Adilabad police asked the farmers to give information about spurious cotton seeds to Dial 100 or phone no: 871659965.
It was found during investigation that the spurious seeds are being smuggled into Komaram Bheem Asifabad from Kurnool of Andhra Pradesh and also from Karnataka. The modus operandi is that the local agents supply seeds to farmers from stock points in secluded places in the interior villages.
Minister for rural development Danasari Anasuya (Seethakka) instructed the collectors of Nirmal, Mancherial and Nirmal and Komaram Bheem Asifabad districts to take all measures to control the sale of spurious cotton seeds.
She said the state government took serious note of spurious cotton seed sales as they cause huge loss to farmers and they will take stern action against the persons involved in the illegal sale of spurious seeds. Nirmal police conducted inspections at seeds and fertiliser shops and verified stock register, delivery register, bill books and other details of cotton seeds. Nirmal SP Janaki Sharmila said they will file PD Act cases against the persons who sell spurious cotton seeds in Nirmal district.
