Thousands of tonnes of wheat continues to rot in Haryana after years in godowns – Who is to blame?
Even as Indian wheat stocks held in government warehouses became halved from 2021, thousands of tonnes have lain rotting in markets for several years. According to some estimates, grains worth around Rs 100 crore have been damaged due to manipulations or poor handling in several districts of Haryana. While a recent probe held the Food Corporation of India responsible (at least in part), the situation has also spurred a political blame game.
According to a recent Times of India article, damage has been reported this year from several districts including Kaithal, Kurukshetra, Karnal and Fatehabad. The process to set up 35 silos across the state has also remained incomplete for more than 10 years now.
While exact numbers are not available, another news report by Hindustan Times suggested that wheat worth Rs 6.5 crore had decayed while lying in open plinths for the last three years at a grain market in Pundri. Under the state government’s scheme for distribution of food grains to people, the rotted wheat would have served as a month’s ration for around 6.4 lakh people.
According to the HT report quoting the probe results, remittance should have been undertaken within a six month period. With the grains not being moved for several years now, the investigation held the FCI responsible. Officials deputed to monitor the stock meanwhile have been given a clean chit.
The situation has also prompted a political war of words with the Opposition Congress taking potshots at the Manohar Lal Khattar-led state government. Former Union Cabinet Minister Kumari Selja lashed out at the BJP administration for “covering up wrongdoing”.
Questioning the extensive grain damage at various locations in the state, she had recently alleged that grains were being “siphoned off in the open market”.
