New Delhi: Thousands of tonnes of foodgrain is in a shocking state of decay in Haryana, while the rest is vulnerable to damage. It has been left to rot in the mandis of Haryana, just 60 kilometers away from New Delhi. Foodgrain has been kept in a shocking state of decomposition with insects and worms feeding on what was meant for human beings.
The water gathering in pools makes it a breeding ground for insects. This is the great grain drain and pile after pile of foodgrain, it is the same story. That is how wheat is preserved during monsoons in Deoli village of Pulwal district. It appears to be more of a dumping yard for wheat. Locals sais that the wheat was bought by the food and supply department of Haryana just two years back.
There are 43 stacks of wheat that could be anything between 30,000 to 40,000 tonnes and the wheat was procured, dumped and forgotten.
The entire ground is covered with rotting foodgrain and there is a stink in the air. There is no kind of waste that is not in evident at the mandi.
As much as 40 per cent of 4,20,000 mt of foodgrain produced in Palwal has been lying the open. District Collector Ramesh Chand Verma said that he can only do as much.
"I personally go and check, but sometimes as you are saying, foodgrain is not covered and there is human error too," he said.
Grains of wheat have been turning into powder on the sack and the ground below and protective polythene sheets hold water instead. The condition of the wheat shows months, perhaps years of neglect.
In fact, the story repeats itself in the anaaj mandi in Mohana where wheat is in a totally unrecognizable state of decay. There are 18 such stacks there and locals said that the wheat was bought from farmers by CONFED. They have seen it slowly rotting away since four years and this is not the first time that they have seen it happening.
In a season of unbearable price rise, and the evergreen challenge of hunger, the question is who will answer for this waste?
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