Civil Supplies dept ups vigil on PDS rice smuggling at Tamil Nadu-Kerala border
COIMBATORE: The Civil Supplies-Criminal Investigation Department (CS-CID) is keeping a tab on 10 border crossing areas between Tamil Nadu and Kerala in the Pollachi region to curb smuggling of rice meant for the Public Distribution System. As these places have been identified as one of the most vulnerable to smuggling of ration rice, the department’s Pollachi unit has strengthened monitoring by posting additional manpower.
Monitoring has been strengthened at 10 border points in the Pollachi region which has easy connectivity to Kerala where mostly PDS rice is being smuggled into from Tamil Nadu, a police officer said.
The 10 border points where checking of vehicles and monitoring have been intensified are Walayar, Velanthavalam, Semmanapathi, Naduppuni, Meenatchipuram, Gopalapuram, Veerappagoundanur, Vadakkukadu, Zamin Kaliyapuram and Urulikkal. Special teams attached to the CS-CID are deployed here, the officer added.
In all 157 cases related to the smuggling of PDS ration rice were booked by the Pollachi CS-CID teams in the last five months (Jan-May 2024). In this period, 61.5 tonnes of ration rice were seized from the smugglers, said police sources.
The police also said they have been monitoring the illegal supply and usage of Liquefied Petroleum Gas cylinders sold with government subsidies. Two separate cases were booked in this regard and two cylinders were seized.
Also, a person has been booked for storing recycled oil and lube oil. A total of 15,200 litres of recycled oil and 6,400 litres of lube oil were seized.
“As many as 166 people involved in smuggling and illegal trade of commodities offered by the government on subsidy for public welfare were arrested. A person who continued to smuggle PDS ration rice to Kerala was arrested and detained under the Goondas Act. Three cases ended with convictions and non-bailable warrants have been issued against eight suspects,” said police.
During the same five-month period since January, the police also seized 10 kg toor dal (pigeon peas), 10 litres of palm oil, and 73 vehicles including 47 two-wheelers, four three-wheelers, 22 four-wheelers. Also, Rs 21.35 lakh revenue was raised by auctioning off 23 seized vehicles.
A police officer said the use of PDS rice as fodder at poultry farms is increasing. Poultry operators purchase the unpolished raw ration rice illegally. Thereafter, they convert it to broken rice (kurunai), which helps them feed chicks and prevent them from getting caught by the police. Police cannot initiate legal action if they convert the rice to broken rice. Hence we are monitoring poultry farms,” the officer added.