From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Oct 21: Prodded by the Centre, Karnataka has stepped up its crackdown on hoarding of pulses and so far 4,800 quintals of toor dal worth Rs 6 crore has been seized since the renewed crackdown from Tuesday.

With prices of toor dal crossing Rs 200 a kg in the retail market largely owing to hoarding of the community by wholesale traders across the country, the Narendra Modi regime had directed the State Government to curb hoarding as part of the exercise to bring down prices.

The State Food and Civil Supplies Department has instructed Deputy Commissioners of all districts to conduct raids on wholesale traders and seize storing of the toor dal more than two tonnes to bring down prices of the commodity and eliminate hoardings.

The Centre in its directive to states permitted multiple retail outlets such as Metro Cash and Carry, Big Bazaar and Star Bazaar to store up to two tonnes of toor dal.

Addressing presspersons after a meeting, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said officials have raided godowns of wholesale traders and sized 3600 quintals of toor dal in Mysuru and 1,200 quintals in Bidar.

The Deputy Commissioners have been instructed to publicly auction the seized commodity to bring down prices in the open market, he said.

The common people have not been able to purchase toor dal as prices of the commodity crossed Rs 200 in the retail market.

To bring down prices, raids would be carried out in all districts in the next few days, Rao said.

He said the Centre has been asking state to intensify anti-hoarding operations for quite a while now.

Even on Monday, a video conference was held by Cabinet secretary Pradeep Kumar Sinha with chief secretaries of various states in which the former exhorted them to act against hoarders and curb speculations.

Continuing an upward trend, toor prices on Tuesday rose to R 210 per kg in the retail markets.