CHENNAI: The state cooperation department has cancelled its order for procuring 400 MT of onions from a central agency after finding that more than 30% of the consignment, meant for sale at `35/kg through fair price shops, was rotten and failed to meet the prescribed quality standards. The onions were meant for sale through ration shops as part of the government’s efforts to curb soaring prices.
The 400 MT consignment arrived at the Korukkupet goods yard on October 31. After being unloaded from the goods train, the onions remained on trucks for two days as the cooperation department and the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) were locked in a dispute over the consignment.While the state government refused to accept the onions on quality grounds, NAFED insisted that the department take the delivery. After the TN department stood firm, NAFED diverted the consignment to private wholesale dealers for sale.
Official sources told TNIE that since the launch of onion sales on September 1, a total of 2,380.32 MT of onions had been procured from central agencies. “The procurement was carried out in three phases, and around 92% to 95% of the onions have been distributed. In the third phase, the department began receiving complaints about onions getting spoiled at fair price shops and warehouses from the third week of October. Out of 700.19 MT onions procured, 646.14 MT was sold,” an official said.
The official further said while placing an order for 400 MT in the fourth phase on October 20, the department asked NAFED to dispatch the consignment from Nashik to Chennai only after TN officials had verified the quality. A team headed by a joint registrar was also deputed for the inspection. “However, NAFED officials loaded the onions and dispatched them to Chennai by train even before TN officials could complete verification,” the official said.
During the inspection at Nashik, it was found that 20% to 25% of onions did not meet ‘A’ grade quality standards. After the consignment arrived in Chennai, another quality inspection found that 30% of the onions were rotten. “After keeping the consignment idle for two days, NAFED diverted it to other buyers,” the official said.
Taxpayers’ money being wasted: EPS
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday accused the TVK government of mishandling onion procurement and wasting taxpayers’ money, alleging that 250 MT of onions brought to Chennai from northern states were rotting due to delays in distribution. He also questioned the whereabouts of another 450 MT of onions procured via the NAFED. While the state government said it had rejected the consignment, NAFED maintained that the stock had not been returned, Palaniswami said. ENS