Godowns raided for hoarding tur dal in Gulbarga

The raids were led by Assistant Commissioner Sangappa and Deputy Director of Food and Civil Supplies Sharanabasappa Bennur with the assistance of police.

Interestingly the raids were conducted on the State and Central warehouses which account for every bag stored in them. The officials have no explanation on the propriety of conducting raids on State and Central warehouses which are meant for storage of food grains. As much as 85,000 quintals were seized at the State warehouse, 13,000 quintals at Central warehouse, 15,000 quintals each of tur and Bengal gram at Prabhudev and Nataraj warehouses.The total quantity of tur and Bengal gram stock seized is put at 1.28 lakh quintals.

Raids were conducted on Mrityunjaya and Kalburgi warehouses. Sharanabasappa Bennur said that warehouses have been directed to be closed until further orders. If the seized stock belonged to farmers they should claim the same after producing pahanis. For the private warehouses permission has been given to store up to 2,000 quintals. If the stocks exceed, the government would seize the same, he added. The officials said that checkposts will be set up to prevent transportation of tur from outside the district. The measures taken by the administration would help stabilise the prices of tur dal in the market, they hoped.

The raids have come close on the heels of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa holding a meeting of the higher officials in Bangalore to review the situation arising out of spiralling of tur dal price.