The district administration has become alert over the report of illegal sale of paddy in the district from the bordering districts of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. On the directive of collector Ashok Agrawal, SDM D Singh has given instructions to a trainee deputy collector to keep vigil on neighbouring areas.
Every year, mafias from neighbouring Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh are active in selling large quantity of paddy in the district. Mafias from the these States are active in selling paddy on support price in the Baghnadi, Salhewara and Mohala-Manpur areas and incurring loss to the State Government. According to sources, large quantity of paddy has been reaching the Chhuria area from Cheechgarh and Kakodi in Maharashtra. These paddy is sold at the Banjari society established for procurement of paddy in the border area under Chhuria area.
Similarly, complaints have been received people from Salhetikri and nearby village of Balaghat district in Madhya Pradesh are selling paddy in the societies set up in lanjhi, Gathapar, Pandadah, Salhewara areas of bordering Kheiragarh. In previous years also huge quantity of paddy from Balaghat district had been sold in these societies.
Food department officers had conducted raids and were successful in nabbing some of the illegal paddy sellers, but did not get success in seizing the paddy loaded vehicles coming to Rajnandgaon district from outside, even after one month of paddy procurement. On the pressure from the administration, an observation committee has been constituted in haste, in which responsibility has been given to 112 officers. Even then, the officers were unsuccessful in seizing the arrival of paddy in Rajnandgaon district from the neighbouring states of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
The sources said that in collusion with the managers of societies set up at bordering areas huge quantity of paddy from outside States is being procured.