Three FCI officials get marching orders over wheat spoilage

With a national food security bill on the anvil, the food supply and agriculture ministry has cracked down on officials who allowed wheat stocks worth Rs50 lakh in Uttar Pradesh to get damaged due to storage in the open under monsoon conditions.

Based on the findings of the ministry's inspection team, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) on Wednesday suspended three senior officials – the area manager, the depot manager and the manager (quality control) at its depots at Hapur, Orai and Harduaganj in the state.

The FCI has also sought an explanation from the executive director (north) and general manager (UP), holding them responsible for the damaged wheat that was procured for the public distribution system (PDS).

Taking cognisance of media reports, food minister Sharad Pawar had sent a team to inspect the depots and the conditions at three sites in UP.

After touring the sites from 14-17 July, the team reported damage of wheat stocks at these depots and found ''serious dereliction of duty'' by FCI officers concerned. The quantity of grain damaged is estimated at 30 tonnes at Hapur, 15 tonnes at Orai and over 300 tonnes at Harduaganj.

The minister has asked FCI to take corrective measures as well as to undertake construction of sidings at small stations at its own cost to safeguard foodgrains under 'cap and plinth' storage during monsoon. He has ordered regular and continuous random checks at various FCI depot godowns to fix accountability.

Lack of storage facilities is a major problem being faced by the FCI in protecting foodgrains from the dampness of the monsoon.