Clad in a handloom lungi, a torn shirt and a towel draped across his shoulders, Sub-Collector G. Surya Sai Praveen Chand visited fertilizer shops in Kaikaluru and Mudinepalli mandals posing as a farmer.
During his visit to the shops, the Sub-Collector found that the shop owners were either selling Diammonium phosphate (DAP) and urea at prices higher than the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) or were hoarding the stocks in godowns. It was also noticed that shopkeepers were not giving any bills for the fertilizers purchased.
On Friday, he visited Vasavi Fertilizers at Kaikaluru to buy DAP. The shopkeeper informed him that they were not selling DAP. Later, he went to Venkata Naga Datta Agencies. He purchased urea at ₹280 per bag and DAP for ₹1,250 per bag. The shopkeeper scribbled a few lines on a piece of paper and asked him to collect the urea and DAP from the godown.
After collecting the urea and DAP from the godown, he returned to the shop with the purchased stock on his motorcycle.
Later, the Sub-Collector asked agriculture officials and the Kaikaluru tahsildar to open the godowns belonging to Vasavi Fertilizers. During inspection, fertilizer stocks were piled up there. Mr. Praveen Chand asked the officials to seize both shops for violation of rules. The shopkeepers were selling the fertilizer without taking Aadhaar and biometric details. While the MRP of urea was ₹266.50, it was being sold at ₹280. Similarly, the DAP was being sold at ₹1,250 against the MRP of ₹1,200.
Sri Lakshmi Ganesh Traders at Devudi village in Mudinepalli mandal was closed when he visited. He asked the officials to inspect the shop and take stringent action against the shopkeeper.
