On Saturday, a flying squad from the District Supply Office, led by Tahsildar N.S. Rajeshkumar, conducted a raid on a poultry farm in Arasanatham near Attur based on a tip-off that ration rice was being crushed and provided to chickens along with fodder. The officials found that ration rice, which is meant for public distribution, was being used to feed the poultry at the farm.
During the raid, the flying squad officials discovered 133 gunny bags containing 7.5 tonnes of ration rice in a godown at the poultry farm. This was a significant amount of rice and indicated that the farm had been engaged in this illegal activity for some time. The officials immediately seized the rice and handed it over to the Civil Supplies CID for further investigation.
The owners of the poultry farm, however, claimed that they had bought the rice from the general public. However, this claim has yet to be substantiated, and the Civil Supplies CID will register the case and investigate the matter further. It is likely that the owners of the farm will be arrested soon, as they may face charges of violating the Essential Commodities Act, which regulates the distribution and sale of essential items like rice.
This incident has brought to light the issue of the misuse of ration rice, which is meant to be distributed to the poor and needy at a subsidized price by the government. The illegal use of ration rice by private individuals or entities is not only unethical but also deprives the poor of a basic necessity. The fact that such an incident has occurred in Salem for the first time suggests that there may be other similar cases that have not yet come to light.
The flying squad's raid on the poultry farm in Arasanatham has uncovered a significant amount of illegally used ration rice. This incident highlights the need for increased monitoring and stricter enforcement of regulations to prevent the misuse of essential commodities meant for the poor and vulnerable sections of society. The investigation by the Civil Supplies CID will likely reveal more details about this case and could lead to further action.
