Hyderabad: Failure on the part of civil supplies officials in initiating stringent action against hoarders is resulting in hoarding of food grains and pulses in the state. Seized stocks are, in some cases, returned to hoarders after collecting a fine from them.
While the department is sporadically conducting raids with help from the vigilance department on hoarders, many hoarders are being let off with fines.
In some cases, even the seized stocks are returned after a penalty is collected, instead of following the practice of putting the seized stocks up for sale through special counters of Rythu Bazaars or ration shops. Had this been done, it would have helped in controlling the prices of essentials.
It is learnt that the department has seized over 75,000 tonnes of foodgrains in the last two weeks. These stocks have not been handed over to Rythu Bazaars or ration shops. There are complaints about some officials are taking bribes and returning seized stocks.
The price of pulses touched Rs 200 per kg. The government, instead of offering the commodity at subsidised rates through special counters in Rythu Bazars as it has done for onions, has chosen to close down existing counters, citing shortage.
There were two special counters for pulses in Hyderabad and seven in Ranga Reddy till August, which sold pulses of grade-I variety for Rs 100 per kg and grade-II for Rs 90 per kg. The government is now running special counters in all the Rythu Bazaars for sales of onion at Rs 20 per kg after prices touched Rs 80 per kg.
However, with onion price coming down, the government is planning to close down onion counters and replace them with pulses counters. It is considering diversion of stocks seized from hoarders to special cou-nters and selling them for Rs 100 per kg, the sources said.
