Food grains for flood victims dumped in godowns

Signifying messy state of affairs in the Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) department, food grains meant for victims of last year’s devastating floods was dumped by concerned officers in godowns.

This came to fore when the Minister for CAPD Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali on Sunday conducted surprise inspection of department’s godowns— prompting him to order a probe into it. The Minister also ordered suspension of Assistant Director (AD) Stores Srinagar and Tehsil Supply Officer (TSO) Stores for dereliction of duties.

The Minister accompanied by Secretary of the Department, Director CAPD Kashmir and other senior officers conducted surprise visits of FCI godown at Shaheed Gunj, here and FCI & CAPD godowns at Lethpora.

An official communiqué said the Minister visited CAPD godown and expressed anguish over non-distribution of rice supplied for flood victims. The Minister checked the stock position and also checked receipt and dispatch registers of the store.

Expressing dissatisfaction, Minister instructed to seal the store and ordered for physical verification. He also constituted a committee for cross checking dispatches and receipts of food grains meant for flood victims. The Minister directed officers to dispose off the ration of flood victims at the earliest.

On the direction of Minister, Secretary CAPD Saurab Bhagat has placed Assistant Director Stores Srinagar and TSO Stores under suspension and has given the charge of stores to AD Srinagar North.

He also ordered an inquiry into the dumping of rice meant for the flood victims of Kashmir in Lethpora Godown and also ordered for physical verification of the godowns.

During visit to FCI gowdown at Shaheed Gunj, Minister checked the sample of rice and wheat and found that the wheat is not upto the standard. The Minister expressed dissatisfaction of the wheat supply by Food Corporation of India and directed Secretary CAPD to communicate FCI that sub standard quality of URS Wheat will not be acceptable. He also directed to stop procurement of sub-standard rice and showed concern for supplying standard quality of rice to the consumers.