Food packets worth over Rs 3.75 lakh meant for public distribution in Covid containment zones were left to rot by municipal officials in Karnataka'sBengaluru.
The food kits, which were kept aside to be distributed in containment zones in Bangalore North were eaten up by pests and rats.
Around 700 ration kits were kept in a warehouse near Kodigehalli, which is handled by the civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). These 700 kits were part of 4,000 food kits which were supposed to be distributed in Yelahanka containment zone under the BBMP.
BBMP Commissioner Manjunath Prasad has ordered an inquiry into the matter and has also instructed the joint commissioner to recover the cost of the wasted food kits from the local engineers who were responsible for the incident.
Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar told media, "This is not right, no one should waste food kits. The CM will also look into the incident and take action."
An official, on condition of anonymity, told India Today TV, "The BBMP failed to deliver the kits to people. The distribution of these food kits is not economically favourable for them and hence they didn't bother much about it. As the Unlock started, they ignored the distribution drive completely."
As per reports, the food kits were not delivered in Kempegowda, Chowdeshwari, Vidyaranyapura and nearby wards.