Wheat lifting slows down in Muktsar; labour union alleges irregularities

As wheat bags continue to pile up across the grain markets in Muktsar, the labour union has raised serious concerns over the slow pace of lifting and alleged irregularities in the transport contractor’s operations.

Sonu Kaamli, president of the Grain Market Mazdoor Union, Muktsar, claimed that the transportation contractor showed bogus vehicles instead of truck registrations to secure the wheat lifting contract.

“Only 10-12 trucks are arriving daily, but he had promised 60-65,” alleged Kaamli, adding that a short circuit on Tuesday further raised concerns among farmers and laborers.

Meanwhile, Sukhwinder Singh Gill, District Food and Civil Supplies Controller (DFCSC), Muktsar, stated that over 2 lakh wheat bags had already been lifted, and the pace was higher than last year.

“The wheat lifting began on April 14. If fake vehicle numbers were used, the Secretary of the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) should take action. However, I doubt this, as the global positioning system (GPS) tracking and online gatepasses make such fraud difficult,” he said.

On the other hand, a representative of the transportation contractor denied any wrongdoing. “We are sending trucks for 42,000-45,000 bags daily, which is more than the demand for 37,000 bags. The real problem is a shortage of labour, not trucks,” he claimed. However, Surjit Singh, Chairman, Market Committee, Muktsar, contradicted this.

“We are daily receiving just 5-7 trucks across the city. The labour shortage is also an issue. We are going to meet the DC in this regard today,” he said. Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Abhijeet Kaplish maintained that the wheat procurement process in the district was running smoothly.

“So far, 3,51,601 MT of wheat has arrived in the grain markets, out of which 3,17,509 MT has been purchased, and 82,303 MT has been lifted,” he informed.

However, despite official claims, ground realities reflect operational gaps that demand urgent attention.