6 lakh tonnes of grain goes waste in Punjab

A whopping 6 lakh metric tonnes of foodgrain has been rendered unfit for human consumption in Punjab.

The foodgrain was rotting in open storage spaces and plinths at various places in the state for a long time. The grains' deteriorated significantly for want of adequate storage in warehouses.

In fact, this stock has been certified as fit for cattle feed.

Each year, Punjab faces a problem of plenty with excess foodgrain and limited storage space. The Supreme Court in August 2010 had observed that in a country where people were starving, it’s a crime to waste even a single grain of food.

The Punjab government had covered some ground to check the problem. It has added 40 lakh tonnes of covered storage capacity over the past three years, and it is likely that the practice of open storage may end this year.

The rapid movement of foodgrain from Punjab to other consumer states also provides hope for better storage of fresh stock. Foodgrain has moved out of state much faster—a jump of over 15 per cent—in the current year, which means warehouses are being cleared of existing stocks much more rapidly to accommodate fresh arrivals.

In 2014-15, on a monthly average, nearly 20 lakh tonnes foodgrain was moving from Punjab to consumer states.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court in Chandigarh on Monday took up a public interest litigation that sought a bar on the practice of storing foodgrain in the open and on plinths. The court has issued notices for March 26 to the Punjab government, the Food Corporation of India and five other procurement agencies.

The petition, filed by advocate H C Arora, mentions the permission recently granted by the Central government to auction more than 6 tonnes of damaged wheat stocked with different agencies in Punjab.

The petition seeks to do away with the unscientific and inappropriate system of foodgrain storage in open warehouses and plinths.

Arora had sought information under the RTI Act from these agencies.