Balaghat (Madhya Pradesh): Nearly 386 tonnes of paddy worth Rs 42 lakh, kept in the open on the premises of a warehouse in Katangi sub-division, rotted because of rain, official sources said on Monday.
The paddy was purchased on minimum support price three years ago, but it was not kept properly.
Since the paddy was kept in the open, it was wet because of rain. Sources said that efforts were being made to keep the paddy in sacs and send to millers.
The paddy was to be kept in the warehouse stores or on the premises of Mandi, but that was not done and not even covered.
Because of the negligence of the warehouse officials, the paddy is of no use. It cannot even be used a fodder.
Efforts were made to sell the paddy through auction, and a firm from Haryana RK Industries was ready to buy it for Rs 1,152 a quintal.
The firm refused to take the paddy, since it was not usable. The officials of the department have decided to sell the paddy Rs 1,000 a quintal.
Balaghat produces the highest amount paddy of all the districts in the state. The government procures 40,000 metric tonnes of paddy on minimum support prices.
Although such a huge amount of paddy is procured every year, the district does not have enough facility to keep it properly.
Therefore, it is kept in the open and the rain, storm and sunlight damage it, sources further said.
