Mangalore: Sight of Spoilt Food Grains at Central Warehouse Irks MP
Pics: Sphoorty Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (RD/SP)
Mangalore, Aug 18: In a surprise inspection, MP Nalin Kumar found out about the utter apathy with which the Food Corporation of India functions. During his visit to the central warehouse located at Mannagudda in the city, here on Tuesday August 18 morning, he found to his utter dismay, that food grains were carelessly being handled and allowed to rot.
The stocks of about 40 lac kilograms of wheat stored in 78,349 bags of 50 kilograms each and 3,000 tonnes of rice, dispatched from Punjab during 2007 and 2008, which was found stored in the central warehouse at Mannagudda, here was found to have been spoiled by pests and eaten away by rats. The entire stock of food grains, worth over Rs 5 crore, that was found stored in the central warehouse, was found to be unfit for human consumption. He found that the warehouse also lacked adequate ventilation and the stock was exposed to heat and moisture.
The stock of grains, that was meant for being supplied to ration shops and for usage during contingencies, is stored at the central warehouse, here.
In the backdrop of various complaints received from the residents of the neighbouring apartments, MP Nalin Kumar arrived at the warehouse, to inspect the situation there. Those residing in the neighbouring apartment blocks had complained to the MP that the insects from the central warehouses are visible from their flats and they had also been invading the neighbouring areas. They had suspected that the stock of grains in the warehouse had been spoilt.
MP Nalin was accompanied by BJP district president Monappa Bhandary and central warehouse in-charge R Lal during the visit.