The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the West Bengal Government to take necessary measures to ensure normalisation of potato supply to Odisha within eight weeks.
The commission has issued this direction while responding to a complaint filed by human rights activist Akhand in this regard. Akhand had alleged that the restrictions imposed by the West Bengal Government on potato supply in August caused steep rise in its price in Odisha and thereby put people in a miserable condition.
The petitioner had apprised the top human rights body that Odisha produces only around 201.05 thousand tones of potato against its requirement of 912.859 thousand tonnes per year and it meets the shortfall of 711.854 thousand tonnes with imports from the neighbouring States, especially from West Bengal.
Stating that potato production in West Bengal was nearly 95 lakh tonnes this year, Akhand further informed that the West Bengal Government can store a maximum of 69 lakh tonnes of potato at its 430 cold stores while the rest is meant for transportation to the neighbouring States.
“Considering the above, there should be no restrictions in the transport of potato to Odisha. However, the West Bengal Government has deliberately put curbs on the tuber supply to Odisha,” he alleged.
Acting on the complaints, the commission directed the West Bengal to take measures within eight weeks and to inform the complainant about the action taken in this regard.