Paralakhemundi: The illegal trade of government-subsidised rice has allegedly turned Gajapati district into a hotspot for black market dealings, with authorities struggling to rein in the illicit business.
Sources said despite repeated media reports and public outcry, the Supply department has failed to take any effective action, thereby, allowing traders to continue their operations unchecked.
According to reports, three locations within the Paralakhemundi constituency-Gumma, Ranipentha, and Kashinagarhave emerged as the key hubs for the black-marketing of Public Distribution System (PDS) rice. While such activities have occasionally come under administrative scrutiny, district officials seem indifferent to the ongoing violations. Insiders, like former MLA K Narayan Rao, alleged that whenever black-marketing traders are nabbed, they are discreetly released with administrative assistance, rather than facing legal consequences.
This pattern has only emboldened those involved in the illicit trade, making it increasingly difficult to control the situation, he added. The issue cropped up again after a truck loaded with approximately 300 quintals of PDS rice was discovered near a well-known rice trader’s shop in Paralakhemundi February 9 night.
The truck, bearing registration number AP-39T-5358, was intercepted by members of the local Truck Drivers’ Association, which immediately alerted both the administration and the media. Following the receipt of the alert, officials from the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department, along with police personnel, arrived at the scene.
However, even twenty-four hours after the seizure, no concrete action had been taken. When queried over the same, Inspector Prashant Bhupati of Paralakhemundi police station admitted that while the truck had been brought to the police station at the request of the Supply department, no formal case had been registered.
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Despite repeated attempts to obtain comments, Supply department officials remained tight-lipped about the incident. G Rabi, president of Truck Owners Association alleged that a particular rice trader in the area is repeatedly buying PDS rice and despatching the stock to Andhra Pradesh and other states.
“He is refusing to abide by the norms and carrying out the trade in cahoots with local officials,” Rabi alleged. The Truck Owners’ Association has accused local authorities of indirectly supporting corrupt traders, despite the government’s efforts to curb such black-marketing activities, under food security laws. Meanwhile, there is growing public demand for the district administration and higher authorities to intervene and put an end to this racket.
PNN
