Rayagada: The government has not been able to provide adequate cold storages in the state. But an unused cold storage in Rayagada district headquarters has been turned into a godown by timber smugglers, a report said.
Sources said the cold storage was inaugurated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik February 4, 2013, to help farmers store perishable crops. Ministers Bikram Keshari Arukha, Lal Bihari Himirika and MP Jayaram Pangi also attended the inaugural function.
The cold storage was established by the Odisha State Cooperative Marketing Federation Ltd (MARKFED).
Although six years have passed it has not become operational. The district administration seems to have forgotten about this. Many of the rooms here are closed and others are being misused by the timber mafia to store logs.
The general manager of MARKFED, Rayagada, retired a year back. Junior clerk Surendra Kumar Pattnaik who holds charge now said, “I have no idea about the cold storage.”
Rayagada Collector Pramod Kumar Behera said, “As I took charge recently, I do not know anything about the cold storage. I will ask the sub-collector to submit a report in this regard.”
PNN