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August 26, 2015 at 4:32 am #5981SmitaParticipant
Around 54,400 bags of wheat stored in open plinths by the Punjab Agro Foodgrains Corporation (PAFC) at Nihalsinghwala in Moga district were damaged due to rain and adverse weather conditions. Insiders in the PAFC revealed that the huge quantity of wheat got damaged due to negligence of a few staff members against whom an inquiry had already been initiated by the senior authorities of the procurement agency. As per the details, this stock of wheat was procured by the corporation in 2011 and 2012 in Moga district. Since then, it was stored in open plinths at Nihalsinghwala, about 45 km from the district headquarters. However, the authorities concerned did not cover it properly with tarpaulins due to which the wheat bags were exposed to the rain and adverse weather conditions. According to an estimate, more than 27,000 quintal of wheat got damaged. However, calculations are underway to determine the exact losses. Initial reports suggest that the losses could be to the tune of Rs 50 crore. A senior official of the PAFC said the corporation had decided to sell the damaged wheat stock, which was unfit for human consumption, in the open market for making animal feed to cover the losses. By doing so, the figures of losses could come down, he added. Meanwhile, there were reports that huge quantities of wheat stored by various procurement agencies in the open plinths were also damaged in Dharamkot, Baghapurana and Moga sub-divisions due to improper storage. The Supreme Court recently came down heavily on the Union and state governments for damages caused to the foodgrains in the country and issued instructions to minimise such losses by making arrangements for scientific storage, but the state procurement agencies seem to be “least bothered” about these losses. On the other hand, the district administration has asked the local naib-tehsildar to conduct a thorough inquiry into the rotting of wheat in the open plinths. However, Jagtar Singh, District Manager, PAFC, could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.
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