4 tractors carrying paddy from Rajasthan seized, six booked

In response to this incident, agriculture minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian, along with Punjab Mandi Board chairman Harchand Singh Barsat, held a meeting with all district mandi officers and chief agriculture officers on Monday

Police have booked the owner of two rice mills in Kotkapura’s Hari Nau village and five others after detecting four tractor-trailers loaded with paddy from Rajasthan.

The tractors-trailers were found at Kotkapura’s Hari Nau village. (HT File Photo/for representation only)

Sharing details, agriculture minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian said the FIR was registered under Sections 318 (4) and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and Section 7 of the Essential Commodities Act on the complaint of the Markfed branch manager.

In response to this incident, Khudian, along with Punjab Mandi Board chairman Harchand Singh Barsat, held a meeting with all district mandi officers (DMOs) and chief agriculture officers (CAOs) on Monday.

Stern directives were issued not to allow paddy from outside the state for sale in Punjab, particularly in border districts.

While reviewing the paddy procurement operations, Khudian ordered all Market Committee secretaries and DMOs to ensure moisture checks using PAU-calibrated meters, before dispatching paddy to shellers to ensure fair pricing for farmers and uphold the quality of Punjab’s grain.

Agriculture secretary Dr Basant Garg directed all CAOs to further intensify the sensitisation campaign, educating farmers against the harmful impacts of stubble burning and asked them to manage paddy straw by using in-situ and ex-situ methods.

Punjab Mandi Board secretary Ramvir apprised the minister of the arrangements in place across grain markets in the state to allow farmers to sell their produce smoothly. He further informed that the Punjab Mandi Board had set up special nakas to prevent unauthorised transportation of paddy.