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Punjab agri dept staff threaten stir if notices over missing machines aren’t withdrawn
At least 900 staff and officials of the department, including deputy directors, agriculture development officers, agriculture extension officers, engineers, sub-inspectors and ATMA staff, had been served the notices two weeks ago.
Staff of the Punjab agricultural department have threatened to launch a statewide stir if the notices sent to them over missing stubble management machines are not withdrawn.
The staff, on Monday, handed over a memorandum, seeking withdrawal of notices, to the deputy commissioners of their respective districts.
At least 900 staff and officials of the department, including deputy directors, agriculture development officers, agriculture extension officers, engineers, sub-inspectors and ATMA staff, had been served the notices two weeks ago.
“If these notices are not withdrawn, we would be forced to launch a statewide protest for which the state government and the agriculture department would be responsible,” reads the memorandum.
According to Jaswinder Singh Brar, who heads the agriculture officers’ association, the department has no role in preserving the machines once these are handed over to the beneficiaries.
Between 2018 and 2022, 92,000 machines for in-situ (at the original site of) management of stubble were given to farmers, out of which 11,000 (14%) could not be located, leading to a loss of about ₹350 crore.
On knowing about the missing machines, the Centre’s Enforcement Directorate had launched a probe, which was followed by an investigation by the state vigilance bureau. Subsequently, the state finance department had also tried to track the machines but without any success.
“When all these agencies could not find anything against the staff and officers, why have we been served the notices,” asked Brar.
