Locals allege sale of 'plastic rice', samples sent to lab

Hyderabad: Residents from some parts of the city have alleged that 'plastic rice' was being sold in the market, prompting the Telangana civil supplies department to send such samples for examination at a food laboratory. The department officials today said the reports were wrong and it was not "plastic rice", but they have sent the samples to the laboratory for a comprehensive examination and a report it is expected by tomorrow.

Some locals and inmates of a hostel in different areas of the city yesterday claimed that the rice they had bought and ate was very sticky and tasted different from the normal grain. They alleged that it was "plastic rice". Later, state Civil Supplies Commissioner C V Anand directed the officials to collect the samples of rice from Yousufguda, Saroornagar, Meerpet and other places, from where the complaints had emerged.

The samples were then sent to the state food laboratory for analysis, an official said. "A detailed report is likely to be submitted by tomorrow," he said. City's Nandanvanam area resident Ashok yesterday lodged a complaint with Meerpet police alleging that the grain he purchased from a local trader turned out to be 'plastic rice' after he cooked it. He also said that it had become sticky and there a was strange smell.

However, based on preliminary investigation, police said the sample that the complainant had provided was not "plastic rice". Police also said that they had informed about the matter to the civil supplies department and sent the samples to it. The inmates of a private hostel too had alleged that they were served "plastic rice" which tasted quite different from the normal rice.