The Hindu : National : BJP sees bid to sell rotten wheat through bakers

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Sunday, Nov 18, 2007
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BJP sees bid to sell rotten wheat through bakers

Special Correspondent

Issue to be raised in Assembly
“Ensure imported food is fit for consumption”

MUMBAI: The Bharatiya Janata Party, in its continuing war on imported wheat in Maharashtra, alleges that the State government is holding talks with bakers’ associations and flour mill owners to dispose of 33,000 tonnes of infected red wheat lying in godowns.

The government, by an order on October 31, stopped distribution of the infected, imported red wheat through the public distribution system.

Samples tested in government laboratories confirmed that this stock was unfit for consumption.

On a complaint filed by Kirit Somaiya, former MP, before the State Human Rights Commission, the government submitted an affidavit accepting that the wheat was infected.

Talking to journalists here on Saturday, Mr. Somaiya voiced the apprehension that the government holding meetings with bakers’ associations and flour mill owners earlier this week could be one way of “disposing of” the rotten wheat.

This issue will be raised in the legislature session, beginning in Nagpur on Monday.

The commission said that from the affidavit it was clear the government virtually accepted that Mr. Somaiya’s grievances were valid.

It recommended that the government, while importing any food article, make sure that it was fit for human consumption.

In its order on November 14, the commission said people started making complaints about the wheat distributed through the PDS and under Open Market Sales Schemes.

Of the 265 samples the government sent for testing, 229 turned out to be unfit for human consumption.

Initially, distribution of this wheat was stayed on April 12. Again 252 samples were sent for testing and of these 72 were found unfit for eating. The government then instructed shopkeepers to destroy the stocks.

However, wheat was still being sold through ration shops and the BJP moved the commission.

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