PDS malpractice probe initiated

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 13: The Malda additional district magistrate, Mr PC Shit, said that he was awaiting the final report of a case of alleged selling of rice meant for the Public Distribution System (PDS). Mr Shit said: “We have received the information. The food and supplies department is making inquiries into a particular case. We will take necessary action against the accused if they are found guilty.” The Malda district controller of food and supplies has started an inquiry into the case of alleged selling of rice meant for PDS on transit at Sujapur, following a report from the Kaliachak police station. In the presence of police, the departmental officials seized 165 bags of rice weighing 82. 5 quintals from the Id prayer field near Sujapur last Tuesday. Police have arrested four persons, including an MR dealer, Mr Dilip Saha in this connection. It may be noted that acting on a tip off, the villagers raided four godowns of traders at Sujapur who are allegedly involved in procuring grains from modified ration dealers or distributors on transit. The villagers alleged that some of the dealers handed over rice to others after collection from the local PDS distributor. The dealers have fled during the raid. The villagers intercepted four persons who were carrying rice bags. The district controller of food and supplies, Mr Asim Basu said: “It is very difficult to prove that the seized rice bags, which are at present under the custody of the Kaliachak police station was meant for PDS.” “We have started an internal inquiry into the allegation to take precautionary measures. We will have to wait for the final report of the police,” Mr Basu added. “Police have recovered some bags of rice from godowns, but there were no seals to prove that the rice was meant for PDS,” said a senior police officer. “We suspect that the traders have changed the bags or destroyed the seals,” he said. On the other hand, the MR dealers alleged at the district level meeting called by the district magistrate that the distributors sell food grains on transit on a large scale after receiving them from the depot of the Food Corporation of India (FCI).