PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday said some five to six persons have been indicted by the Vigilance Department probe into the shocking case of some 200 tonnes of tur dal stock worth several crores of rupees having rotted in godowns of the Civil Supplies department.
"I think five or six persons are indicted. I have put a noting that strict action be taken and maximum punishment given," Sawant said while speaking to media.
The chief minister also said that a similar matter of sugar stocks being wasted has also come for his consideration and he has made similar remarks to ensure those responsible are taken to task.
Senior Goa civil services officer, Siddhivinayak Naik, who headed the civil supplies department, was suspended for his alleged role in the matter.
The 240 tonnes of tur dal which rotted beyond human consumption came to light after current Civil Supplies Director Gopal Parsekar moved a note for a vigilance inquiry. Parsekar had also called for an auction of the stock on an "as is where is" basis but there were no takers.
Strangely the tur dal, which is not commonly consumed or form part of Goans staple diet, was procured back during the time of the pandemic-induced lockdowns when prices were soaring due to unavailability of stocks in the market.
Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude, who was civil supplies minister when the procurement was done, had blamed "bureaucratic negligence" for the stocks remaining in godowns and rotting.
He had claimed that he had asked officials of the department to deal with the excess stocks at the time and added that it is not a scam but negligence on the part of officials.
According to Gaude, 408 tonnes of tur dal was procured fearing shortage during the pandemic but the owners of the ration shops lifted only a small quantity leading to the stocks remaining in godowns.
