A scam connected with the Food Civil Supplies & Consumers Affairs (FCS&CA) has come to light after at least four years when it actually happened. 5430.32 quintals of rice worth Rs 1, 32, 75,800.00 meant for public distribution is missing in the Skalzangling store of Leh. On being informed from own sources, the District administration of Leh deputed an inspection team to verify the existing stocks in the food stores in Leh and what has been distributed according to registers. To its great surprise the team has found that 5430.32 quintals of rice is missing from the stores and two officials of the Department namely Mohammad Afzal Khan and Mohammad Jan are involved in it. Both of them have been suspended and the enquiry is going on in the case.
It is regrettable that even when there as hue and cry at the level of ordinary people that they were facing shortage of rice and food grams, the Government at that time did not feel it necessary to order an enquiry into the reasons for the shortage. Had the Government acted immediately, perhaps the two functionaries and their accomplices in and outside the Government agencies would not have been able to muster courage to indulge in pilfering the stores.
A case of pilferage and corruption should be filed against the two functionaries and the culprits have to be given exemplary punishment so that others are made alive to the power of the state in dealing with such corrupt practices. Who knows this could be only the tip of the iceberg and if thorough enquiry is ordered more scandals and scams may come to fore. Punishment to the offenders in this scam is all the more important because the people should not get the impression that Leh being a far off place from the capitals of the State, it has the freedom to overlook and ignore the crimes and aberrations of the Government functionaries.
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