LOSS: Huge quantity of Pungrain wheat damaged

Ferozepur, January 7, 2013:  The poor storage arrangements by the procuring agencies lead to damage of huge quantity of foodgrains in the country every year for which who is to be held responsible – department concerned or the officials holding the stocks or the preservation staff is a big question but the ultimate sufferer in such cases are the officials.

In a similar case of damage of wheat was noticed in one of the open storage plinth of Pungrain department situated on Border Road in village Madhre where huge quantity of wheat stocks stored in open have damaged due to poor storage arrangements and giving no proper attention by the senior officers.

As per the sources, at the time of initiate storage of stocks were in good condition but due to non-maintenance and no proper fumigation of stocks, the huge quantity of stocks have damaged.  The sources further says that for cap storage, new polythene covers and fumigants are provided to maintain the health of the stocks but despite all this infrastructure available, the damage of stocks speaks the state of affairs of working of the Pungrain department and put a big question on the concerned officials misconduct. 

While contacting the concerned officials in this regard, on the basis of anonymity, said, the stocks stored in the border road godown are of crop year 2010 and they are taking care of it and the damaged stocks are being reprocessed by replacing the bags but to its non-movement the stocks get damaged as the wheat is a perishable item and no official should be held responsible for the damage of the stocks. 

He further said that the FCI should arrange its speedy movement to avoid damage of stocks due to longer storage.