The vigilance and enforcement officials conducted raids on five fertilizer, pesticide, and seed shops in Anantapur district and registered cases against some owners on charges of violations of law on Thursday.
The Vigilance and Enforcement Department has formed three teams including the officials from Agriculture Department. The teams conducted raids on several shops at Peddavadguru in Anantapur district and Kothacheruvu in Sri Sathya Sai district.
The teams served ‘stop-sale’ notices on Sri Siddewara Traders and Umamaheswara Seed & Pesticides at Peddavaduguru. “The quality and source certificates for 1.63 quintals of seeds had expired, so the material worth ₹1.77 lakh have been sealed,” the officials said.
The owner of Lakshmi Venkateswara Fertilizers at Kothacheruvu was booked under the Section 6(A) of Seed Control Order, 1983 for ‘not updating records, selling seeds without invoice or cash memo and not renewal of licence’.
The officials seized seeds valued at ₹46,918 and pesticides worth ₹37,288 worth from Sri Eswar Agro Agencies at Kothacheruvu. The shop owner was booked under Section 6 (A) of the Insecticide Act, 1968 for selling ‘products without any record’.
The seized stocks have been handed over to the agriculture officers concerned for further course of action. The enforcement teams included investigating officers P. Sai Prasad, V. Venkata Ramana; Agriculture Officer J. Vasu Prakash; AEE T. Rajasekhar; Sub-Inspector A. Balakrishnaiah; and the respective Mandal Agriculture Officers.
