Around 40,000 quintals of rice worth of about Rs8 crore were not returned by the millers in 2012-13 despite repeated warning in Baleswar district. At long last, the Civil Supply department has initiated action against the defaulting millers by lodging FIRs against them.
The millers should return 68 per cent of the quantity of paddy they received in rice. Six millers did not return the required quantity whose cost would be around Rs8 crore, said CSO Birendra Sahu, adding that the Khantapara police adopted a dillydally approach in registering a case against ‘Durga Rice Mill’ proprietor who defaulted 27,000 quintals of rice worth Rs5 crore.
“Although we went to lodge an FIR against the miller about 10 days ago yet so far due to unknown reasons the copy of the FIR was not received,” he said.Meanwhile, Sahu apprised the ADM of the police inaction, while the ADM wrote a letter to the SP mentioning the difficulties encountered by the Supply department in collecting rice and initiating action against the defaulting millers.
“I have already written a letter to the SP regarding the concern of the Civil Supply department. I am monitoring the issue,” said ADM Akshay Mohanty.The other defaulters in the list of the Supply department are Annapurna Rice Mill, Bhograi, Maa Mangla Rice Mill, Singla ,Maa laxmi Modern Rice Mill, Nilgiri, Sahu Enterprises , Somnathpur and Bishnupriya Rice Mill, Jaleswar, etc.
When asked, SP Awinash Kumar said, “I would look into the matter. The role of the Civil Supply department is to be verified.”It is also alleged that the millers in order to evade the return of rice set fire to the mill or wait for heavy rains and floods by which they can show loss due to accident or calamities and can claim insurance compensation.