Odisha : Food Supplies dept raids rice mill at Balikuda for illegal stocking, owner refutes charge
**Summary (60 words):**
A Food Supplies enforcement squad raided Salasar Agro Products in Jagatsinghpur over alleged illegal rice stockpiling and exports to Bangladesh. Authorities seized tractors carrying undocumented paddy and rice bags labeled for Bangladesh. The mill lacked an export license. Officials are verifying records, while the mill’s chairman denied wrongdoing, claiming compliance with procurement guidelines. An investigation is ongoing.
JAGATSINGHPUR: An enforcement squad of the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare department raided a rice mill at Balikuda on Thursday evening over allegations of illegal stocking of rice and export to Bangladesh.
The squad led by sub-collector Prasant Kumar Tarai and district civil supplies officer Sujata Mishra conducted the raid on the premises of Salasar Agro Products. Three tractors loaded with paddy that lacked proper transportation documents were seized. While one driver was detained by the police, two others managed to flee.
Mishra said huge quantities of rice packed in gunny bags labelled with ‘Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh’ were also found stocked inside the rice mill. “We have seized the rice and are verifying the records. The mill does not have an export licence. It is illegal to export rice procured from the farmers through PPCs. The administration has not granted permission for milling rice at this facility. Further investigation is on,” she said.
Sources said, 30 millers, including Salasar Agro Products, were entrusted with the responsibility to lift paddy from the paddy procurement centres (PPCs) in the district. The mill was allocated a target of procuring around 42,000 quintal of paddy from seven PPCs in Balikuda block.
The sub-collector said improper stockpiling of paddy was found during the raid in the mill on Thursday and the stock was not maintained in a countable manner as per the procurement guidelines of the state government. The stocks are being verified by the civil supplies officials. Action as per rules will be taken after a final verification report, Tarai said.
Chairman of Salasar Agro Products Santosh Agarwal refuted the allegations and accused the civil supplies officials of forcing the mill to lift paddy bags each weighing 80 kg to 90 kg instead of 100 kg from the PPCs. “We have stored whatever quantity of paddy they had asked us to lift from the PPCs. All the documents related to our stocks have been produced before the officials. We are not involved in illegal hoarding of paddy or rice,” he claimed
To read more about Rice News continue reading Agriinsite.com
Source : The New Indian Express
