In a major crackdown against hoarding, the Food and Supply Department of Delhi government has seized over 26,000 quintals of pulses following raids at two places in the national capital.
Food and Supply Minister Asim Ahmed Khan said four teams were deputed to check the stock limit of pulses in four godowns situated at Siraspur and Alipur of Northwest Delhi.
"Officials of Food and Supply Department raided a godown situated in Alipur and seized 21,495 quintals pulses, the stock can provide Delhiites pulses for next 4-5 days alone," Khan told reporters here.
The second raid, he said, was carried out at another godown in Siraspur and officials seized around 5050 quintals pulses.
The move was a part of the drive by the government to ensure that pulses were available to common man in the national capital at affordable rates.
According to the department, upper stock limits are prescribed under various control orders issued by the department from time to time.
For pulses, stock limit is prescribed as 2000 quintals for wholesalers for all types of pulses taken together, and 50 quintals for retailers.
The wholesale/retail dealers who indulge in hoarding activities by stocking pulses beyond the prescribed stock limit will be punished as per the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, a senior department official said.
He also said the department appealed to all the dealers, wholesalers and commission agents not to indulge in hoarding and cooperate with the government in ensuring that essential commodities were made available to the people of Delhi at affordable rates.
