Yamunanagar, Jan 16: Local farmers intercepted three trucks carrying 2,120 bags of agriculture-grade urea in Yamunanagar district on Wednesday, sparking an investigation into the legality of the consignment. The vehicles were stopped around 3 pm while the urea was being unloaded at a licensed godown in Ahluwala village.
Deputy Director of Agriculture Dr. Aditya Pratap Dabas noted that while the wholesaler and retailer held bills for the stock, the documentation appeared suspicious. Investigation revealed that the e-way bills for the three trucks were issued only after the vehicles had already been intercepted by the farmers. “The timing of the e-way bills presented on the spot did not match. E-way bills were issued after the time of interception of vehicles,” Dr. Dabas directly said regarding the mismatch.
The Agriculture Department has since issued show-cause notices to both the wholesaler and the retailer involved. Officials have prohibited the retailer from selling any of the seized urea until the inquiry is finalized. While the premises were licensed, the procedural lapse has raised concerns about the intended destination of the subsidized fertilizer.
Local sources mentioned that subsidized agricultural urea is frequently diverted to plywood factories for the manufacturing of glue, as it serves as a cheaper alternative to industrial-grade urea. The department is now examining whether this specific consignment was destined for illegal industrial use rather than local farms.
