New Delhi: In a major three-day long operation conducted by Delhi government, 209 Fair price shops (FPS) were inspected out of which 15 were sealed and criminal cases have been registered against some transporters and FPS owners involved in diversion of foodgrains. The raid by the Department of Food, Supplies and Consumer Affairs which had started on May 24 continued till yesterday, Food Supply and Weights and Measures Commissioner SS Yadav said.
The teams constituted by the department covertly followed the vehicles carrying PDS foodgrains from the FCI godowns to the FPSs. Simultaneously, a close vigil was maintained on the industrial areas at Lawrence Road, Narela and Bawana to track entry of any such vehicle diverting PDS foodgrains to the flour mills located in these areas. On the night of May 24 two vehicles were seized and cases have been registered against the transporters under Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and concerned sections of IPC.
Yadav said that on May 25, 15 teams were constituted to inspect the FPS where the foodgrains lifted was supposed to be delivered. However, the teams found that the foodgrains had not reached 8 FPS. Besides this, in 4 other FPS, diversion of foodgrains was noticed and criminal cases in the concerned police stations have been registered against the transporters and FPS owners involved in diversion, said Yadav.
The department has requested the Delhi Police for a comprehensive and quick investigation of all the cases registered, he added. This was the fourth such operation conducted by the department in one month. Since the first raid on May 1, the department has registered 30 FIRs and sealed 31 FPS and 3 flour mills. "The department is committed to deal with the menace of diversion and black-marketing of subsidized foodgrains issued under the Public Distribution System (PDS) through Fair Price Shops (FPS) with a heavy hand. The drive of the department to curb this menace will continue," said Yadav.
