Faridkot
The wheat procured by mainly three agencines from grain market Kotkapura is facing the problems of lifting.
As far as Markfed is concerned, it is at the top for non lifting of the procured wheat by it.
On May 7, marked has written to the concerned contractor who has to provide the vehicles for lifting of the procured grain to provide it more vehicles stating that it had provided only 6 vehicles for transporting the load which is insufficient.
“N
Markfed has procured about 138850 g
bags of wheat from the grain market Kotkapura by the evening of May 7, only 40840 bags have been lifted. You are requested to provide more vehicles and in case of any shortage, the shortage of wheat or any loss borne by the agency would be deducted from the bills of yours,” reads a letter written by markfed office of Kotkapura to the contractor who has to provide the vehicles.
Apart from it, the sources said that about 70000 bags of the wheat procured by Punsup and Pungrain are yet to be lifted.
“On May 3, Punsup had also written to the contractor to provide more vehicles to lift the wheat procured by it. It had said that it had procured about 2200 MT of wheat in the main yard and 1500 MT at the TR agro yard and the agency needed 50 trucks for the lifting of the procured wheat,” reads the letter of the agency addressed to the Thekedar.
The agency further warned the contreacoitr that in case of any shortage of the produce, the contractor would have to compensate for it from its bills.
“There are 70000 bags of Markfed, 35000 each of Punsup and Pungrain lying unlifted in the grain market Kotkapura.Our labour is ready to load the produce, but the contractor is not providing the required vehicles. Apart from it, all the produce is to be unloaded at the FCI Godowns, Silos rented by it and Buffer Godowns. As far as the timing of the unloading at the FCI godowns is concerned, it is very short. The produce is unloaded from 11 AM to 5 PM only. There is also a shortage of labour. Next, we have learnt that there are directions that first silo bins be filled as a priority basis. It means only B class gunny bags would be lifted. We demand that the lifted produce be unloaded at buffer godowns, silos and other godowns of the FCI at the same time so that the problem could be solved,” said Ashok Kumar Goel,president of Ahartia Association Kotkapura.
The commission agents said that there are thefts, shortages and guarding of the stocked foodgrains procured by the agencies for which they are the receiving end.
They said that if the procured produce is not lifted within 72 hours, only the contractor and FCI are responsible for it.
Goel said that wheat produced at his shop on April 17th is yet to be lifted by the markfed.
When contacted, DC Faridkot Vineet Kumar said that the contractor has been issued a notice and all shortages will have to be made by it for non availability of vehicles.
“I have convened a special meeting in this regard of the concerned officials and tomorrow, we have arranged a special from grain market Kotkapura.All the unlifted produce would be lifted soon,” said Vineet Kumat,DC Faridkot.
He further said that the unloading would be made at all FCI points so that all new and second hand gunny bags would be lifted.
“Now there would be no problem for anyone,” he said.