Badhal episode impact: Surprise inspections of shops/stores selling insecticides & fertiliser

Several shops sealed in Rajouri and Kotranka, samples lifted for lab tests.
Official details are awaited
Shyam Sood
Rajouri, February 5: In the wake of Badhal episode, where 17 people died and many fell critically ill due to consumption of the toxin, district administration on Wednesday in a special drive inspected more than two hundred pesticide and fertiliser stores in Rajouri and Kotranka.
According to unofficial reports several stores/shops have been sealed temporarily after samples of pesticide, insecticides were collected for laboratory tests to find out their quality.
A team led by Tehsildar Rajouri and accompanied by officials from agriculture and other concerned departments conducted surprise inspections of such stores/shops in Rajouri town and sealed the shop temporarily after collecting samples of various pesticides, insecticides to check whether they are misbranded, spurious or sub-standard.
Similarly, according to reports, several fertiliser stores, shops selling pesticides /insecticides were also inspected in Kotranka subdivision and authorities lifted samples for lab tests.  No official statement or press briefing has been released by the administration in this regard.
It is pertinent to mention here that 11 patients from Darhal were under treatment in Associated Hospital GMC (AH GMC) Rajouri.
But despite their recovery, GMC authorities postponed their discharge citing that they were waiting for the final report and direction from higher authorities as the final diagnosis of the toxin consumed by them is made by the reports from the Central Forensic Laboratories.
All the 11 patients recovered after the GMC authorities/doctors administered them atropine and 100% recovery rate was achieved.
GMC authorities are waiting for the final report about the exact nature of the poisonous substance (and its source) consumed by these patients.
It is feared that unregulated sale could result in substandard insecticides being provided to the farmers without proper quality checks as pesticide manufacturers often directly approach dealers to promote sale.