HC raps Punjab Govt for failing to secure purchased grains

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has rapped the State of Punjab for, prima facie, failing to secure purchased grains. The Bench also directed the Principal Secretary, Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, to appear virtually, along with the Managing Directors of the Punjab State Grains Procurement Corporation, Markfed and Punsup.

“Prima facie, the instrumentalities of the state are failing in their duties to secure purchased grains. Direction, if any, issued by this court will have wider implications,” Justice Anil Kshetarpal of the high court asserted.

The Bench was hearing two petitions filed against the state and other respondents by Kalra Trading Company and another petitioner through counsel Charanjit Singh Bakhshi, Gourav Goel and Gourav Garg.

Justice Kshetarpal observed the two writ petitions were filed by the commission agents complaining that the state instrumentalities were failing to remove paddy purchased by them.

Appearing before Justice Kshetarpal’s Bench, Bakhshi and other counsel representing the petitioners submitted that paddy was required to be removed within 72 hours after it had been purchased by the state instrumentalities in accordance with the instructions. The Bench was also told that the petitioners were, however, being discriminated against.

Justice Kshetarpal also took note of the respondents’ contention in response to the submissions that the delay in clearing the stock was due to the problems created by rice millers. But the entire stock would be cleared by November 30.

“On a court question ‘as to what will happen, if there is damage to the grains, due to heavy rain?’, the counsel representing the respondents failed to put forth an explanation.