The case of 6,800 metric tons of rice rotting due to negligence in five warehouses of the tribal-dominated Dindori district has once again come into the spotlight. Collector Anju Pawan Bhadauria has taken major action in this serious matter and is sending a proposal to the government for recovering the cost of the spoiled rice from those responsible and initiating departmental action. The letter also mentions a four-fold penalty for the spoiled rice under the Milling Policy 2023-24. It may be mentioned that in December 2024, a team from Bhopal also found maggots in the rice meant for the poor. Collector had issued notices to all the millers in this matter, instructing them to replace the spoiled rice. It is reported that while two millers have agreed to lift and replace the rice, three millers are citing various reasons and shifting the responsibility for the spoiled rice onto the warehouse in-charges. The millers and warehouse in-charges are at loggerheads over the spoiled rice.

 

The situation has become tense after a report was sent for action against the millers who did not replace the rotten rice as instructed. The millers allege that the rice rotted due to the negligence of the warehouse in-charges, while the investigation at the Bhopal level had held the millers responsible. The case of spoiled rice worth over Rs 27 crore has sparked accusations and counter-accusations. The process of auctioning the spoiled rice under departmental action may also begin. A district-level team will now decide on the fate of the spoiled rice. Collector had issued notices to the owners of Bharat Rice Mill, Bajrang Rice Mill Gidha, Waheguru Rice Mill Manikpur, Maa Narmada Rice Mill Kohka, and Khanuja Rice Mill Madiyaras regarding the rotting of the rice, instructing them to replace the spoiled rice. All of them have given different responses to the notices.

 

Collector, Dindori Anju Pawan Bahdauria said “I had issued notices to all the millers regarding the rice spoiling in the warehouses. Two millers are replacing the rice, but three millers are giving different reasons for not replacing the rice. In this matter, I have written a letter to the General Manager, Civil Supplies Corporation, Bhopal, for the recovery of the spoiled rice from the concerned parties. A report has been sent for punitive action and recovery proceedings against the concerned parties”.