The Directorate of Agriculture has tasked the Zonal Agricultural Officers (ZAOs) to check unauthorised and illegal nurseries and handcart vendors selling flowering and ornamental plants and get the nurseries to display the licence. The ZAOs have been given 15 days to submit the report to the Directorate (TGE July 19). The inspection could have been unannounced since there is a possibility that the handcart vendors may go in hiding and some nurseries may display fabricated licences. Considering that marijuana plants were recovered from public places and people were caught growing magic mushrooms, it is essential to check the sale of plants. This will also help to weed out and uproot nefarious activities, if any. The officers could verify if the plants sold are congenial to Goa’s climate and soil conditions and do not become a kind of parasite that could proliferate and overrun the native flora.
SRIDHAR D'IYER, Caranzalem
