Surveillance stepped up to stop smuggling of PDS rice in Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: After an investigation revealed that staff in Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) godowns and rice mills were involved in smuggling PDS rice to other States, the food department has decided to repair the surveillance cameras in these godowns and increase the staff strength of the civil supplies crime investigation department (CID).

Last month, the licences of several mills (in Tiruvallur, Ranipet, Krishnagiri, Coimbatore and other districts) were suspended after the investigation revealed that workers at these units assisted rice smugglers, said official sources.

The CCTVs at the godowns haven’t been working for several months, and the CID police have not been given access to the surveillance cameras for the past few years.  “Tenders have been invited to repair the 2,869 cameras at TNCSC godowns,” said Minister for Food and Civil Supplies R Sakkarapani in a recent press statement. Besides, additional personnel have been deployed in the police wing of the food cell to improve vigilance.

Until recently, the CID wing, headed by the DGP, was functioning under two superintendents of police, one each in the Chennai and Madurai regions. “Now, two new zones in Coimbatore and Tiruchy have been created, each headed by an SP-rank officer. In addition, six new units headed by an inspector/SI were formed for new districts - Kallakurichi, Tenkasi, Chengalpattu, Tirupattur, Ranipet and Mayiladuthurai,” said an official.

The CID wing of the police also decided to install CCTV cameras at the entry points in the border districts of Tiruvallur, Coimbatore, Pollachi, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Kanniyakumari, Dharmapuri, Vellore, and Ranipet. “The number of patrol teams has also been increased in the border districts,” added the official.
Between May last year and October 25, as many as 12,637 cases were registered and 12,721 people arrested for rice smuggling. A total of 2,607 vehicles and 90,122 quintals of rice were seized and 128 people were booked under the Goondas Act, said a statement.

Handling capacity

•  13.31 lakh MT at the 260 TNCSC-owned godowns
•  1.66 lakh MT at the 42 hired godowns