lauding the Punjab Government for “exemplary action” taken against spurious pesticide manufacturers and sellers, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Thursday said that this action along with Rs 643 crore compensation package for loss to the cotton crop could only have been taken by a farmer-friendly government led by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.
Senior party leaders — Maheshinder Singh Grewal and Daljit Singh Cheema — said that it was a matter of record that 18 persons had already been arrested for indulging in sale and manufacture of spurious pesticides from 11 districts in the State.
They said that besides, 710 samples had been collected from 11 districts and sent for chemical examination to Central Insecticide laboratory, Directorate of PP Quarantine and Stores, Faridabad.