Smuggling of PDS rice on the rise in Adilabad

Adilabad: There has been unprecedented rise in the smuggling of rice meant for public distribution through ration shops for several months.

It is estimated that the civil supplies department officials seized 2400 quintals of rice in addition to other commodities like red gram, kerosene, sugar, salt among others. That several criminal cases were filed against 201 persons during the period between January and November this year shows the severity of smuggling of PDS material in the district.

According to officials, the smugglers purchase one-rupee-a-kilo rice from the ration shop dealers for Rs 10 and sell the same for Rs 25 in Maharashtra making a huge profit of Rs 5 lakh for every truckload of rice. Some of these smugglers are even maintaining godowns to store the rice before smuggling. The rice is smuggled mainly to Maharashtra through various ways like trucks, trains and others.

The civil supplies officials are conducting special raids to put a check on the menace. So far, during the last eleven months from January to November they seized PDS material worth Rs 11 crore in Adilabad district including 2400 quintals of rice, 215 quintals of red gram, 34 quintals of sugar, 668 quintals of salt, 17,059 litres of kerosene and 48 gas cylinders from the possession of these smugglers.

The officials found that the illegal trade of rice is rampant in Adilabad, Mancherial, Bhainsa, Laxsettipet, Kagaznagar areas. The smugglers purchase rice from the PDS distributors in the first week of every month ranging from 10 quintals to 50 quintals.

It is estimated that forty per cent of rice is rerouted to these smugglers who sell the same in the black market. It is estimated that from Lakshitpet alone 20 truckloads and another 20 truckloads of rice from Mancherial is being transported every day. In case any official conducts raid, he is bribed, it is said. The rice smuggling mainly rampant in the Agency area, it is said.

The rampant of rice smuggling could be gauged from the fact that the civil supplies officials raided and seized 400 quintals of rice in Laxsettipet town in a span of two days. It is said that one thousand quintals of rice is stored in various godowns.

Keeping in view the huge profits in the rice smuggling, several ruling party leaders allegedly have also joined hands with these smugglers and these leaders are reportedly bringing pressure on the officials to let go of the smugglers. In a short span of four months, the officials seized PDS material worth Rs 5 crore in Adilabad district alone.

Interestingly, the syndicate, which has been smuggling the PDS material for quite some time, is passing on information to the officials about the new entrants into the smuggling. In retaliation, they are also passing on information about the rivals.

The discerning citizens feel that indifference and corrupt practices of the officials of both civil supplies and vigilance department are responsible for the large scale smuggling of PDS material.