Experts check quality of tur dal after adulteration complaints

The Junagadh district administration Sunday sent a team of experts to check the quality of tur dal stored at the marketing yard in Visavdar following complaints of adulteration.

The development comes three days after seven persons were booked following a stock of tur dal stored at a warehouse in the district was found adulterated.

Congress MLA from Visavadar, Harshad Ribadiya had Saturday alleged that the tur dal procured by the state-owned Gujarat State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd on behalf of the National Agriculture Co-operative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) was adulterated and mixed with foreign particles.

Ribadiya conducted a 'janata (peoples') raid' at the lentils stocked at the marketing yard in Visavadar and later held a sit-in outside the Collectorate on Saturday, demanding criminal action against those responsible for adulteration.

"The district administration Sunday sent a team of experts, including graders and officials of the district supply office, to assess the quality of tur dal stored at the marketing yard," Junagadh Collector Sourabh Pardhi said.

He said the stock will be taken from the marketing yard to the warehouses only after being inspected by a team of experts.

"We had received a complaint and we are getting the stock checked at the marketing yard. The local MLA (Ribadiya) has complained that the tur dal stored there was adulterated. A central team from NAFED is getting it checked. We will assess the stock before it is sent to the warehouses," Pardhi said.

Rabadiya had alleged that commodities stored in some of the sacks were mixed with pebbles and other objects.

"Only 10 per cent of what is inside the sack is tur, while the rest is objects used for cattle feed. We demand that those involved should be booked and a thorough investigation be carried out across warehouses in the Sautrashtra region," Rabadiya said.

"I had also raised the issue earlier in the Vidhan Sabha (state assembly). The government knows the issue, but it has preferred to turn a blind eye," the legislator alleged.

The state government had Thursday launched an inquiry after tur dal stored at a warehouse in Keshod in the same district in Saurashtra region of the state was found adulterated during the inspection. An FIR has also been lodged against officials and contractors involved in procurement.

Congress leaders have alleged that it was an insiders' job. The state government claimed that the guilty will be brought to justice.