“Those indulging in adulteration of diesel, making and selling spurious agri inputs including fertilisers, seeds, insecticides and pesticides enjoy full patronage from the officials of these departments,’’ charged Surjewala during the discussion on the Governor’s address in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha today.

Surjewala said some officials of the Agriculture Department took money on monthly basis from the companies making and selling spurious agri inputs, and allowed them to continue with their illegal trade at the expense of gullible farmers.

“These officials collect monthly payments and don’t challan or take any action against the culprits,” alleged Surjewala, known to air his forthright views. He said the officials of the Civil Supplies Department also accept money while allowing the alleged culprits to go free, and allow the nefarious practice of adulterating diesel by mixing kerosene in it.

Surjewala said that in the process, farmers using spurious agri products and adulterated diesel were being cheated. He called for tougher laws, with a punishment of at least 10 years in prison, to deter the culprits from indulging in such practices.

Surjewala also called upon the government to end the practice of auctioning the farmers’ land on non-payment of their farm loans. He said a special policy should be framed for poor farmers who were unable to repay their loan by leasing a portion of their land to some companies for farming. The profit from the land then could be shared by the farmers and the company, and in the due course of time the farmer would be able to repay his loan, he said.

Independent Member Tejinder Pal Mann said the government had taken many initiatives to bring water to Haryana, and deal with the power crisis in the state.