Tamil Nadu: Protect procured paddy grains, EPS tells govt

 Following an incident near Kumbakonam where thousands of paddy bags stacked in an open storage centre got drenched in heavy rain, TNCSC officials were directed to move paddy from the open storage points. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami urged the state govt to take necessary steps to protect the procured grains.
The grains got drenched at a cover and plinth (CAP) open storage point near Patteeswaram, where about 25,000 tonnes of paddy bags are stored after procurement from farmers. Due to heavy rain on June 19, thousands of paddy bags stacked at the open storage centre got wet. The bottom layers of the stacks got soaked and the grains spilled out. District collector R Revathy visited the spot and ordered that the damaged grains be separated and removed.
TN civil supplies corporation regional-level officials were asked to immediately move the paddy stored in low-lying areas to hulling mills and wagon rakes. They also directed them to increase the use of black polyethylene covers to protect the paddy bags from rains.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said the way paddy grains were getting drenched now looked similar to incidents during the DMK govt’s tenure. “Due to negligence of officials, who neither cover the paddy sacks properly nor send them to rice mills immediately, the govt is suffering huge losses,” Palaniswami said. He urged the govt to take proper measures to protect harvested paddy, and construct closed warehouses across the state. He also advised to safeguard the procured paddy until the sheds are constructed.

This article has been republished from The Times of India.