Heads have started rolling after Rs 600 crore food scam in procurement, transportation and distribution of food grains, meant for public distribution system in Udham Singh Nagar district of Kumaon division, came to light. Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat had ordered suspension of the regional food controller Kumaon division Vishnu Singh Dhani in connection with the scam aside from asking the State administration to take stern action against the officers embroiled in the scam on Tuesday. Subsequently, the State administration has transferred nearly 25 department officers, including senior marketing inspector and marketing inspector on Thursday while directing them to join the new postings by Friday.
A senior department officer said that the officers have been transferred from Kumaon to Garhwal division as part of the punitive posting. Meanwhile, deputy regional marketing officer, Garhwal division Ved Prakash Dhuliya has been sent to Kumaon following the transfer spree. All the marketing officers from Udham Singh Nagar district have been transferred to Garhwal region while senior department officer KK Arya has been transferred from Khatima to Haldwani.
Taking a serious note of the scam that was allegedly held during the previous Congress-helmed Government, CM had had ordered the District Magistrate Udham Singh Nagar Neeraj Kharwal to form a special investigation team (SIT), comprising additional DM (administration) Jagdish Chandra Kandpal, additional SP, Rudrapur, Devendra Peencha, SDM Kashipur Veenit Tomar and in-charge officer, Joint office, Collectorate Kashipur Yukta Mishra.
The State administration has decided to conduct a special auditing to fix responsibility of the food scam. “After the scam was reported the Government godowns at Rudrapur, Kashipur and Kichchha in Udham Singh Nagar district were checked. The documents were checked too following which the irregularities came to light,” a senior State officer had said.