By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 3 Apr: Acting on the Chief Minister’s directive, District Magistrate Dehradun, Savin Bansal has initiated stringent enforcement measures against irregularities uncovered at the Gularghati Government Food Storage facility (RFC). A surprise inspection had exposed multiple violations, including failed grain quality tests using the Mix Indicator Method, improper stock maintenance, and violations of storage regulations.
Following these findings, the District Magistrate has now suspended senior marketing officer Vishnu Prasad Trivedi and issued an adverse entry against assistant marketing officer Ajay Rawat for negligence. To ensure accountability, the Chief Development Officer (CDO) has been appointed as the investigating officer and will conduct an inquiry under the Government Servants Discipline and Appeal Rules, 2003. Trivedi will remain attached to the Chief Development Officer’s office during the course of investigation.
The storage facility plays a crucial role in distributing food grains across the district, supplying government ration shops, Aanganwadi centres, and mid-day meal programmes in schools. Given its impact on public welfare, especially for children, the elderly, and pregnant women, the administration has vowed strict enforcement to rectify lapses.
During the inspection, major deficiencies in storage management were identified. Grains were found to be stacked improperly, and essential safeguards like moisture prevention systems and pest control measures were lacking. The standard sack weight, which should be 50.5 kg including packaging, was found below acceptable levels, wheat sacks averaged 43 kg, while rice sacks averaged 47 kg, indicating serious discrepancies.
Not only this, even the inventory records were found to be incomplete and lacked proper authorisation, with stack cards either missing or incorrectly maintained. A physical verification of stock revealed significant mismatches with documented figures. Additionally, the facility failed to follow the First In, First Out (FIFO) principle, a critical rule in food storage management. Not only were FIFO registers absent, but older stock was not prioritised for dispatch, raising concerns over food quality and wastage.
A quality check of grains presented alarming results. Of the 61 rice samples tested, 26 failed quality standards and were classified as rejected under the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of the Food Corporation of India. These findings highlight clear violations of the 2024-25 Kharif Procurement Policy, Consumer Affairs Section-2 regulations, and the government’s structured grain storage SOP.
In response to these serious irregularities, the District Magistrate has ordered the regional marketing officer to replace all substandard grains with fresh stock immediately. With investigations expanding to other food storage facilities, further action is expected across the district as authorities tighten scrutiny.
