The State Government of Karnataka on 12th October 2021 has published the Karnataka Agricultural Pests and Diseases (Amendment) Act, 2021, through which it has defined certain terms and has increased the penalty.
As per the amendment act, the definition for the term “plant” includes all agricultural, horticultural, sericulture, forest crops, trees, bushes or herbs, climbers, creepers, tubers or rhizomes, suckers or bulbs or corms/corm lets and includes fruits, leaves, trunk, roots, bark or cutting or any part thereof but does not include the seed.
Provided that, the State Government may, by notification direct that the seed of any particular plant shall be deemed to be a plant.
Further Plant Disease” means, any fungal, bacterial, viral, nematode, parasitic, mycoplasma or other disease or syndrome declared by the notification under section 3 to be a plant disease.”
As per section 12 which deals with the Obligation of village officers to report on insect pests, plant diseases or noxious weeds the following explanation has been inserted through this amendment.
Explanation: for purpose of this section “village officer” includes village accountant, the panchayat development officer, panchayat secretary, agriculture assistant, horticulture assistant, sericulture inspector, Sericulture demonstrator or any other Government officer concerned working in that area.”
Further, if any person contravenes any prohibition, restriction or direction contained in the Act, shall on conviction, be punished with a fine which may extend to fifty rupees.
