Dehradun District Magistrate Savin Bansal has taken strict action after uncovering serious irregularities at a foodgrain warehouse in Gullarghati during a surprise inspection on Wednesday. As a result, he has halted the salaries of Assistant Regional Officer (Food) Ajay Rawat and Senior Marketing Officer Vishnu Prasad Chaturvedi, ordered an adverse entry against them, and initiated departmental proceedings.
The inspection revealed that the warehouse was not maintaining records properly and was failing to adhere to prescribed standards. Storage conditions were found to be substandard, with no effective measures in place to protect food grains from rodent infestations. Additionally, no traps were installed to control the rodents, raising serious concerns about hygiene and food safety. Expressing dissatisfaction, Bansal directed officials to implement necessary corrective measures immediately.
Further investigations uncovered discrepancies in the recorded weight of stored grains. The total weight, including sacks, was supposed to be 50.58 kilograms but was found to be only 50.15 kilograms, falling below the standard limit. In response, the DM ordered the collection of wheat and rice samples for further examination. He also instructed the destruction of several quintals of grain that reportedly failed quality tests during the inspection.
Bansal questioned why these issues had not been reported to higher authorities earlier and demanded copies of any previous correspondence on the matter, if available. He emphasized that the warehouse not only serves Dehradun but also multiple districts in the Garhwal region. Any negligence impacting public health, especially affecting vulnerable groups like children, women and the elderly, would not be tolerated, he warned, vowing strict action against those responsible.
