CM refutes ‘plastic’ rice claims, says false propaganda
Margao/Panaji: Chief minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday refuted allegations that ‘plastic’ rice was being supplied through fair price shops.
“That’s false propaganda. There can be no plastic rice,” Sawant said speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function. “It would be costlier to prepare plastic rice than produce real rice,” he said.
The chief minister said that what was referred to as plastic rice was actually “fortified rice” that is approved by the Food Corporation of India and supplied through the public distribution system.
There is no such thing called plastic rice, agriculture minister Ravi Naik also said on Tuesday. His statement comes a day after the Benaulim MLA, AAP’s Venzy Viegas, alleged that adulterated rice is being supplied to fair price shops.
“Does anyone ever eat plastic?” Naik said. “We have ordered an inquiry into the matter to dispel people’s fears. In case there is any truth in this allegation, we will suspend the officers involved. There is no plastic. If there is, I want them to show me.”
Naik said that all civil supplies officers have been directed to be on the field instead of the office and to regularly carry out inspections and quality checks of the grains.
The secretary, civil supplies, Sanjit Rodrigues also addressed the issue calling it a
“misinformation campaign” and requested people not to give credence to it so that apprehensions are not created in the minds of the customer.
“The initial test of the rice has been done and we will release it (the report). The rice is safe, and it is rice, not anything else,” Rodrigues said. He said that the ‘plastic rice mentioned in media reports was not from a fair price shop.
“On average, 3,000 tones of foodgrains are distributed in Goa per month through 455 fair price shops. About 60,000 bags are being distributed, which cannot be physically verified,” Rodrigues said. “But sampling is done and tests of these samples are taken.”
He said “there is no concept” of plastic rice though the rice “may look different when it is fortified.” He has directed food inspectors in each taluka to talk to fair price shop owners and carry out visual inspections.
If the inspectors find rice of inferior quality, or contaminated rice, they are to avoid distributing the rice. He said that such rice will be replaced. Measures are also being taken to fumigate the godowns.
“We have no doubt that this (plastic rice) is a false claim. Our tests are there with us and people should not fall for these false claims. The rice is of standard quality,” Rodrigues said.
