Karkala; Feb 03: Alleging the poor quality and less in weight, the Neem Cake organic fertilizer supplied through authorities of horticulture department was rejected by the farmers to receive. Sensing the seriousness of the situation, guilty, erring officers shifted the fertilizer to some other place overnight and tried to evade from the incident, farmers alleged. Farmers registered a complaint with Ajekar police station demanding an investigation.
In this regard, on Feb 03,Monday,condemning the incident ,farmers urged the Ajekar police station authorities to take an action against erring, guilty officers and against the company.Ajekar police station authorities promised the farmers that fraud case will be registered against the wrong doers, who have transported the fertilizer without any relevant documents.
It was said that under Gucchegrama programme of horticulture department, Marne Village was selected for Coco cultivation. After forming Vishnu coco growers Sangha under this scheme, saplings were distributed to the farmers of the Sangha.
As per the regulations of Gucchegrama neem cake fertilizer to be given for the planted coco crops. For the farmers, who purchase fertilizer from designated dealers, 40-50 % grant-in-aid for the fertilizers purchased will be directly transferred to the bank account of the farmers as per the fertilizer department’s regulations.
But assistant directors of horticulture department purchased inferior quality fertilizer from the company and distributed to the farmers thus cheated the farmers and in this regard complaint was made to higher authorities by the farmers in the past, it said. Besides they promised the farmers that police will take an action against erring official in this case.
When conspiracy was plotting to transport this inferior quality fertilizer by the officials without any evidence or relevant documents, farmers raided the place and reported the matter to Ajekar police. Police who swung into action immediately and took the lorry loaded with fertilizer, which was being illegally transported under their custody.
Members of the Sangha demanded for an action against the guilty officer of the horticulture department and company, who was trying to transport the poor quality fertilizer overnight illegally. In order to confirm the weight of the fertilizer in 50 Kgs sac, members of the Sangha called Thimma Rayappa, assistant controller of weighing department and when weighed the bag, it was found only 40-43 kgs in a bag of 50kgs fertilizer bag.
Reacting to this, Thimma Rayappa promised the farmers that on the basis of the complaint, after serving the notice to the company, disciplinary action will be taken against the erring officer, he said.
Upendra Nayak, president of Coco grower’s sangha, B.V.Poojary, president of district Kisan Sangha and farmer’s leaders like Sundara Shetty, Govindaraj Bhat, Harishchandra Hegde and among others were present on the occasion.
