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Probe into chemical urea fertiliser found at politicos’ houses

24 May 2022

  • Agri Minister Mahinda Amaraweera instructs National Fertiliser Secretariat to investigate
BY Buddhika Samaraweera Minister of Agriculture and Wildlife and Forest Resource Conservation Mahinda Amaraweera has instructed the National Fertiliser Secretariat (NFS) to immediately investigate the incidents where a large quantity of chemical fertiliser, including urea fertiliser, was found in the homes of certain politicians during the tense situations that erupted on 9 May. An official of the Agriculture Ministry told The Morning that Minister Amaraweera gave the relevant instructions during a discussion held on Monday (23). According to the said official, Amaraweera has requested the NFS that a clear report be submitted to him as to whether these chemical fertilisers were those that had been subsidised to farmers, or purchased from private traders at the current prices, or were stocks of fertiliser previously issued by the NFS. “The Minister said that he too was surprised that some politicians had stored fertiliser in their homes when farmers did not have chemical fertilisers for their crops,” the official said. He further said that after receiving the report from the NFS, Amaraweera will make a special statement in Parliament regarding the fertiliser found in the damaged houses of politicians. During the tense situations that erupted following the attacks on peaceful protestors in front of Temple Trees and at Galle Face Green, the houses and other properties of many politicians were set on fire by some rioters. Subsequently, there were reports in the media and on social media that large quantities of fertiliser were found in the homes of certain politicians. For instance, a person among those who were engaged in a protest demanding the immediate resignation or removal of North Western Provincial Governor Maheepala Herath claimed that more than 400 bags of fertiliser recently found on land owned by Herath were the property of the North Western Provincial Council (PC). He alleged that Herath had hidden, for use on his private farmlands, the bags of fertiliser sent to the fertiliser storage belonging to the PC for distribution to the farmer.


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