Bhubaneswar, Aug 9: The Odisha government has initiated action against traders involved in black marketing and hoarding of fertilizers and pesticides.
The agriculture department has filed police complaints against 14 traders for overcharging, hoarding fertilizers, pesticides, and sowing seeds.
The department conducted raids on erring fertilizer shops and canceled the licenses of 13 shopkeepers and suspended 48 vendors after they were found involved in illegal activities. Besides, 2,136 errant shopkeepers have been served show cause notice by Monday evening, informed the department.
There is enough stock to meet the demands of the farmers and the traders were told to provide fertilizers, pesticides, sowing seeds, and other essentials to the farmers in different phases. But some traders were reportedly overcharging. We have started inspection of fertilizer shops in several districts. Action has been taken against those who were involved in the hoarding and black-marketing of fertilizers, said a senior official.
Inspections will continue and stringent action will be taken against the erring fertilizer shops if found involved in such illegal activities, added the official.
