MULTAN: Director General Agriculture (pest warning & quality control of pesticides) Punjab, Rana Faqeer Ahmed Thursday said that the department launched a comprehensive crackdown against fake pesticides and confiscated fake pesticides worth over Rs 425.1 million during a year.
In a statement issued here, the DG Agriculture said that zero tolerance policy was being followed against the persons involved in the illegal business of fake pesticides. He said that as per directives of the provincial government, the agriculture department has collected samples of 9600 pesticides across the province out of which 286 have been proved fake and sub-standard.
He said that the teams have conducted 617 raids in a year and not only registered 750 cases but also arrested 254 dealers involved in selling fake pesticides.
Rana Faqeer urged citizens to inform the agriculture department, police and district administration and get their complaints registered against the dealers selling fake pesticides. He said that the concerned department would initiate action within 24 hours through which the culprits could get imprisonment of five years and Rs 500,000 fine.