New Modus operandi in PDS rice diversion detected in Titlagarh

Bolangir: In what appears to be a case of officials of Odisha State Warehousing Corporation (OSWC) cocking a snook at State's much vaunted PDS system, local residents of Titlagarh revealed how the staff took out 3-4kg of rice/wheat from each gunny bags and later sprinkled water on the bags to gain weight.

"We are being provided with 35 Kg wet rice/wheat bags. After drying, the quantity weighs around 30-31kg. They alleged direct connivance of supply department officials in such largescale diversion," said Saroj Kumar Jal, a local resident.

The beneficiaries smell a rat as they question how come rice and wheat bags get wet, when the ware is water-proof. "The bags get wet because OSWC officials sprinkled water on the rice and wheat bags a day before distributing them to the beneficiaries," alleged another resident Ananta Kumbhar.

When reported, sub-collector Sudhakar Nayak assured that the district administration will be alerted to stop diversion and PDS malpractice.

"Soon a probe will be launched in this regard and strict action will be taken against those, who are found guilty. As I am busy in on-going elections, I personally couldn't monitor the case," Nayak explained.