Ballari: Nearly 24,000 quintals of jowar, valued at ₹6 crore, stored in the Karnataka State Warehousing Corporation (KSWC) godown, was deemed unfit for consumption. Shockingly, the worm-infested grain had already been distributed to fair price shops across Ballari and neighboring districts.
The issue surfaced when Upa Lokayukta Justice B. Veerappa inspected Unit-2 of the KSWC godown on Friday. He discovered that 48,000 bags of jowar, each weighing 50 kg, were infested with worms.
Upon questioning, Sharavathi, manager of the Ballari KSWC unit, and Sakina, deputy director of Food and Civil Supplies, cited a certificate from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) dated March 29, 2024, claiming the jowar was fit for consumption. Despite this, the grain had deteriorated significantly and was deemed unsuitable even for animal feed.
Justice Veerappa criticized the officials for their negligence, highlighting the wastage of taxpayer money. He expressed outrage when Sharavathi demanded photographic proof with GPS data of his visit to the godown, calling her response inappropriate.
“This behavior is unacceptable,” Justice Veerappa stated, urging the concerned minister to take strict action against those responsible. He assured the public that necessary steps would be taken under the Karnataka Lokayukta Act to address this gross negligence.
Read Also: