Gate passes under lens, teams step up field inspections

With an unexpected surge in the arrival of paddy in the grain markets of the district, the administration has intensified verification to ascertain the authenticity of the produce. The authorities and farmer union leaders suspect issuance of ‘fake gate passes’ to adjust the arrival of paddy from other states.

Village and block-level committees, constituted to check stubble burning, have also been assigned additional responsibility to verify actual paddy cultivation by farmers in whose names the crop is being brought to the mandis.

The committees have initiated cross-verification of gate passes issued in the names of farmers with the extent of cultivation recorded on their respective farms. SDMs have been directed to ensure transparency in the verification process.

Teams comprising officials from various departments are conducting inspections at procurement centres as well as in the fields. The district administration has also strengthened nakas at the Haryana-UP borders at Manglora and Shergarh Tapu to check the illegal transportation of paddy.

As per the data of the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board (HSAMB) till the night of October 21, grain markets in the district have recorded an arrival of 9,14,756 MT of paddy, compared to 7,54,150 MT during the corresponding period last year, despite adverse climatic conditions that led to delayed harvesting and reduced production by 8-10 quintals per acre in majority of the areas.

“Production of paddy has declined by 25-30 per cent in Karnal this season, yet the arrivals have increased. We suspect fake gate passes have been issued to adjust the arrival from outside the state,” claimed Jagdeep Singh Aulakh, state core committee member, BKU (Sir Chhotu Ram). “We demand an impartial investigation to fix responsibility on officials, rice millers, arhtiyas, and middlemen involved in the manipulation. Farmers should refrain from sharing their MFMB portal details with private agents or millers,” he said.

Some traders bring paddy from UP and other states at cheaper rates every year and sell it in local grain markets. Besides, rice meant for PDS is also diverted to mills to be adjusted against Custom Milled Rice, he added.

DC Uttam Singh said teams from multiple departments had started field verification to match the data on the MFMB portal with e-Kharid records.

SDM Anubhav Mehta said committees formed to monitor stubble burning were being utilised for on-ground verification. “Teams have been tasked with checking gate passes against the actual area of cultivation. Officials are conducting daily field inspections,” he said.

Indri SDM Ashok Munjal said verification had been initiated both at the market entry gates and in the fields.