Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 30: The Food Corporation of India (FCI) is once again forcing the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) in north Kashmir’s Baramulla to take up the sub-standard grains for the public distribution in the district.
The officials told Excelsior that the grains-around 23000 quintals-were shifted from PEG Baramulla to FSD Baramulla in March this year and now the FCI is forcing the FCS&CA to distribute the rice among the public.
However, the officials of the FCS&CA said that they have been time and again telling the FCI that the grains were of sub-standard quality, but the FCI has been pestering them about the same.
With regard to the sub-standard quality of the rice, Excelsior had earlier reported in March, however, the allegations were denied by the FCI stating that the grains were up to the mark as per their standards.
Also, a 3-member team from Indian Grain Storage Management & Research Institute (IGMRI) had spotted quality issues in the grains in-store at FCI’s Kralhar and Sangrama go-downs and the same was conveyed to the concerned officials.
“You are informed again that the stock that is shifted from PEG Baramulla to FSD Baramulla is old and filled bags of mixed crop year i.e. 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2019-20 with most of the bags are badly ruptured…with partial stitching without authorized print and slip on the bags violating FCI guidelines. The said stock is dull in appearance and contains dust. So please take this as a serious matter of concern and ensure that the bags that are dispatched follow FCI guidelines,” reads a letter written by the Depot In-charge, FCI FSD Baramulla as well as a member of the technical staff to the Manager PEG, Baramulla.
The officials of the FCS&CA told Excelsior that there is no uniformity in the grains which the FCI wants the department to distribute by putting the lives of the public to risk.
When contacted, Director FCS&CA, Kashmir Dr Abdul Salam Mir told Excelsior that he was aware of the issue and that he has already discussed the matter with the concerned.
“We are in no way going to accept the stock for the public distribution; the stock is sub-standard, how can we accept the grains from the FCI,” he said.
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