A large-scale seed and fertiliser adulteration scam has come to light in Rajasthan’s Sri Ganganagar district, with irregularities being exposed and serious concerns being raised over the health and safety of farmers and consumers.
Raids conducted in multiple factories by the state’s Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Departments revealed a well-organised network involved in colouring seeds with carcinogenic chemicals and mixing fertilisers with stone powder, sand, and dust, all to maximise profits by compromising quality.
In some of these factories, colours in large drums were found. The factory owners were allegedly procuring seeds at very low prices from farmers, adding harmful carcinogenic colour to them, packing them in attractive packages and later on, selling them at much higher prices. The colours being used, were, as per the agriculture department, carcinogenic in nature and considered harmful if consumed. These seeds were being supplied in different states including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh.
In one such factory, Shri Ram Seeds, the factory manager admitted to India Today that colouring agents were being used to enhance the “essence” of seeds. Authorities found green dye being used on green gram (moong) seeds and red dye on barley and guar seeds — chemicals that agriculture officials say are carcinogenic and extremely harmful to human health.
“We found colours being mixed in 3 to 4 factories, and we believe they pose a serious health risk,” said Satish Sharma, Joint Director of the Agriculture Department. Kirodi Lal Meena, Rajasthan’s Agriculture Minister, who led several raids personally, said, “Seeds were being mixed with colour. It is carcinogenic and extremely harmful. We will seal this factory.”
In some of the factories, is it was found that sacks of seeds were neither labelled, graded and also, the factory owners did not have a proper licence for it. In one of the factories, seeds of different varieties were kept at one location, which, as per officials, was not allowed.
More than 40 factories manufacturing fertilizers, packaging seeds have been raided so far in different parts of Rajasthan including in Jaipur’s VKI Area, in Jhotwara industrial area, in Kishangarh and Sri Ganganagar.
Last week, a raids were conducted jointly by the agricultural and consumer department in several places across the state including in Jaipur, Kishangarh and Sri Ganganagar to book those indulging in the trade of spurious or adulterated fertilizers and inferior quality seeds.
In several of the factories that were raided, it was found that fertilizers were being mixed with stone powder, sand and dust along with colour and supplied to farmers in different parts of the country.