Monday, March 21, 2011

20,775 tonnes of smuggled public distribution system rice seized in 3 years.

Jeeva, TNN; Mar 21, 2011,
CHENNAI: At a time when rice smuggling has become a political issue in Tamil Nadu, the civil supplies department's reply to an application under the Right To Information (RTI) Act reveals that as many as 20,775 tonnes of rice worth Rs 11.73 crore were seized in anti-smuggling operations in the state in last three years.
The department also said that 5,152 persons were arrested in three years for smuggling rice meant to be supplied to ration card holders. The seizures and arrests reveal the scope of attempted diversion from the public distribution system (PDS).
V Santhanam, president of People's Awareness Association in Chrompet, filed an RTI application on February 5, 2011 seeking details of action taken by the civil supplies department to curb the smuggling of rice and issuing of bogus ration cards. The public information officer of the department replied to his query recently saying the enforcement wing seized 9,174 tonnes of rice in 2008, 5,271 tonnes in 2009 and 6,330 tonnes last year while being smuggled. As many as 1,171 persons were arrested in 2008, 1,644 in 2009 and 2,337 in 2010, the reply said.
The department also disclosed that it had cancelled about 14.30 lakh bogus ration cards in the state in 2009 and 2010. The highest number of bogus cards – 1.46 lakh – were cancelled in Madurai while it was 1.09 lakh in Ariyalur district. Coimbatore, Trichy, Vellore, Salem, Cuddalore, Tirunelveli, Villupuram and Erode had over 50,000 bogus cards each. In Chennai, 21,000 bogus ration cards were cancelled in last two years.
On the fate of the vehicles that were involved in the rice smuggling, the information officer said such vehicles were normally detained and released either on paying fine or through court orders. Unclaimed vehicles would be sold through public auctions.
Food secretary Swaran Singh told The Times of India that the government has taken the issue of rice smuggling seriously and intensified efforts to prevent the offence. "So far, we have booked 105 people under the prevention of black-marketing and maintenance of supplies of essential commodities Act. We have given instructions to all the senior officials in the department and flying squads to be on high alert to curb the menace,'' Singh said.