Farmers block national highway

Angry over cancellation of licence of a pesticide shopowner, a group of farmers blocked the New Delhi-Ludhiana national highway for two hours on Monday. The protesters raised slogans against the agriculture department, demanding revocation of the licence.

Angry over cancellation of licence of a pesticide shopowner, a group of farmers blocked the New Delhi-Ludhiana national highway for two hours on Monday.

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The protesters raised slogans against the agriculture department, demanding revocation of the licence.

The agriculture department had cancelled the licence of Punjab Pesticide Shop two months ago as the owner allegedly was not maintaining the sale and purchase register, besides some illegal pesticides were found in the shop.

Shopowner Avtar Singh alleged that his licence was cancelled despite the fact that samples collected from his shop were found negative. Agriculture officer Rajnder Singh Sohi, however, said though samples were found negative, but the owner was in illegal possession of some pesticides and fertilisers and did not maintained the records.