AERIAL VIEW
Of Course, we all know that the person who followed the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan’s footsteps was at the department’s helm, and maybe he was the one behind hoarding as the Emperors did in ancient times.
The government needs to know that the food grain belongs to the people of Goa. The grain was produced by the toil of the farmers and agricultural labour. It was procured and is stored using taxpayers’ money. Any profit or loss due to the operations of the State Civil Supplies Corporations is a profit or loss to the exchequer. If the food grain belongs to the people of Goa, it is the people of Goa who have a first claim on the food grain. So why not distribute them free during the pandemic times?
SURAJ NANDREKAR
Editor, Goemkarponn
At a time when the Goans were struggling to get food materials (during the COVID19 pandemic), there is news that hundreds of tonnes of toor dar and other food materials were rotting in the government godowns.
This issue is in teh eye of storm after the Department of Civil Supplies called for tenders to dispose of the 200 tonnes of toor dar, which was damaged in the godowns.
The State government led by Dr Pramod Sawant is well aware of the difficulties people faced during the COVID19 pandemic.
In the initial days, there was no supply of food items from the neighbouring States as transportation wasn’t allowed. Even after transportation began, people found it tough to buy the items as people had no work, especially daily wagers. And here it is now disclosed that 200 tonnes, worth crores of rupees, were rotting in godowns.
During COVID19 times, the toor dal rates were Rs 200/ kg, and even today, it is around Rs 100/ kg. Who will bear these losses, Mr CM?
Merely calling for Vigilance Enquiry for the rotting would not suffice, the Chief Minister needs to give a reply and fix the responsibility.
The Minister then and the officers in charge need to be jailed. Isn’t it?
Also, the motive behind holding back such a huge quantity of toor dal also needs to be investigated. Were the officers and ministers hoarding the items for black-marketing? This question also needs to be answered.
We already know how there is black-marketing of subsidised food items from fair price shops, and the current controversy may be just a tip of an iceberg. Only if the Vigilance Department conducts the honest inquiry then the skeletons will come tumbling out of the wardrobe.
Of Course, we all know that the person who followed the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan’s footsteps was at the department’s helm, and maybe he was the one behind hoarding as the Emperors did in ancient times.
The government needs to know that the food grain belongs to the people of Goa. The grain was produced by the toil of the farmers and agricultural labour. It was procured and is stored using taxpayers’ money. Any profit or loss due to the operations of the State Civil Supplies Corporations is a profit or loss to the exchequer. If the food grain belongs to the people of Goa, it is the people of Goa who have a first claim on the food grain. So why not distribute them free during the pandemic times?
If we keep this fundamental truth in mind, it is easy to answer the question: what should the government do in an emergency situation like the outbreak of a pandemic, the nationwide lockdown, and the inevitable poverty and hunger among, at least, the bottom half of the population.
Today, it is a stark fact that millions of families have run out of cash. They cannot buy food. The worst fate that can befall a person is being locked down, alone or with his family, with no money and no food.