Urea shortage: Asifabad DAO suspended for negligence

Kumram Bheem Asifabad DAO R Srinivas Rao was suspended for negligence in urea distribution. He allegedly allotted 400 tonnes to private traders, worsening the fertiliser shortage. Farmers faced long queues and accused traders of diverting stocks to Maharashtra.

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: In-charge District Agriculture Officer (DAO) R Srinivas Rao was suspended for negligence in discharging his duties. The suspension order was issued by Agriculture Department Director Dr B Gopi on Saturday.

According to the order, Rao failed to monitor the distribution of urea and showed gross negligence in performing legitimate duties in public interest. “Further, he failed to intimate the receipt and distribution of urea to the district administration from time to time. He was asked not to leave the district headquarters without obtaining permission from the director,” the order stated.

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Kagaznagar Assistant Director of Agriculture Borkut Venkat has been posted as the in-charge DAO of the district. Srinivas Rao, who was serving as Assistant Director of Agriculture in Asifabad, had been holding charge as DAO since 2021 following a transfer.

Rao recently faced sharp criticism for reportedly allotting around 400 tonnes of urea to private traders without informing the District Collector. The traders allegedly sold the fertiliser at prices higher than those fixed by the government, bringing disrepute to the administration. One trader was caught by police on Friday night while distributing urea to farmers at Bhupalapatnam village in Sirpur (T) mandal.

The district has been witnessing long queues of farmers at mandal centres and agriculture market yards for the last two months. Farmers expressed displeasure over the shortage of urea and alleged that certain traders were diverting stocks to Maharashtra, worsening the crisis.