RTI activist rues substandard wheat supply

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 21

Another controversy erupted today when hundreds of bags of wheat in Pungrain godown in Nangali village were found damaged and substandard wheat was allegedly being distributed to ration depots under the Atta-Dal scheme.

The incident came to light when an RTI activist Varun Sareen along with media persons reached the godown after getting a tip-off that inferior quality wheat were being filled in the bags to be distributed under the scheme. Thousands of quintals of rotten wheat was allegedly being packed for the public distribution supply.

Assistant Food and Civil Supply Officer Mohanjit Singh and custodian in-charge inspector Jagwinder Singh, reached the spot after the issue was raised with the higher authorities but they could not give satisfactory answers to media queries. They said the matter was in the knowledge of the authorities and appropriate action will be taken.

Food and Civil Supply Director Abhinav Trikha has also marked a probe to Deputy Director Rajnish Kumar.

Sareen alleged that the government wheat, procured during the season, was sold in black to flour mills and the bags were later filled with substandard and inferior quality wheat. He urged the Chief Minister to get the matter probed by the CBI as several unscrupulous elements in connivance with the officials of the department were playing with the lives of people. He also demanded registration of an FIR against the officials concerned for the lapse.