Over 80 pc wheat yet to be lifted from Faridabad, Palwal mandis

Tribune News Service

Bijendra Ahlawat

Palwal/ Faridabad, April 16

With the arrival of around 25 lakh quintal of wheat in the mandis of Faridabad and Palwal districts, around 80 per cent of the procured wheat is still lying at procurement centres, according to sources.

Poor Arrangements

As wheat arrival and procurement has hit the peak, the arrangements, regarding the lifting and shifting of the procured wheat to godowns by the official agencies, have been very poor Gaurav Tewatia, commission agent

“As the arrival and procurement of wheat has hit the peak, the arrangements, regarding the lifting and shifting of the procured wheat to godowns by the official agencies, have been very poor,’’ claims Guarav Tewatia, a commission agent based at Palwal Mandi. He says it has not only resulted in space crunch for new arrivals, but also led to wheat stock lying in the open exposing it to damage caused by untimely rains or any other calamity like fire.

“Inclement weather threatens to damage the wheat grains lying in the open or in gunny bags awaiting the lifting in nearly all mandis at Palwal, Hodal, Hassanpur ,Hathin, Dhatir, Mohna, and Ballabhgarh grain markets,’’ claim sources in the Food and Supply Department. Delay in awarding contracts to agencies or contractors has been the main hurdle in the work, says an official on condition of anonymity.

It is reported that of the total 15 lakh quintal of wheat procured at various mandis in Palwal district, the number of bags lifted is less than 15 per cent. Only around 50,000 quintal out of eight lakh quintal has been picked from the main Palwal market resulting in a glut-like situation. However, Mandeep Singh Secretary Market Committee, Palwal says that the warehousing corporation has started the lifting work.

The lifting of wheat produce from mandis at Hodal,Hassanpur, Hathin has been around 10 per cent, according to sources.

In Faridabad, the arrival and procurement of wheat has crossed 7.80 lakh quintal but only around 1.22 lakh quintal has been lifted so far at the centres operational at Faridabad, Mohna, Tigaon, Ballabgarh and Fatehpur Billoch.

While arrival and procurement of wheat is highest at 4.50 lakh quintal at Mohna mandi, only about 30,000 quintal had been lifted by the agencies till Monday, according to officials. Rishi Kumar, Secretary, Market Committee, Mohna, says, “The delay in allocation of tenders regarding lifting and issues connected with the labour and transport has perhaps led to the problem”.

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