Truck owners/drivers blame FCI DGM
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 09 2014:
Rather than working in the interest of the State, the Deputy General Manager of the FCI Regional Office, Imphal has been working under the whims of FCI Zonal Office, Guwahati.
As a result, transportation of rice from Jiribam to Imphal has ceased completely, said Manipur Truck Owners Welfare Association (MTOWA) president H Ranjit.
Speaking to media persons at their MG Avenue office today, H Ranjit rejected FCI Regional Imphal Deputy General Manager's assertion that rice could not lifted from Jiribam godown because of the failure of the transport contractor (Manipur Truck Owners Welfare Association) to deposit requisite money in time.
The statement only exposed the Deputy General Manager's inefficacy and incompetency, Ranjit alleged.
Deputy General Manager Ksh Thoiba's assertion that rice could not be lifted due to failure to deposit requisite money was baseless.
MTOWA deposited a total amount of 33,44,307 in the FCI account in two phases.
First, a sum of Rs 27,18,963 was deposited on June 19 this year followed by another 6,25,344 on September 1 .
Ranjit also showed bank slips as proofs that the amount have been deposited.
By making the outrageous claim about non-deposition of requisite fund, the DGM was openly deceiving the Government of Manipur as well as the general public.
At the same time, it also exposed the incompetency of the DGM.
The FCI regional office Imphal is not yet a full-fledged office.
The crisis arising out of cessation of rice transshipment along Imphal-Jiribam highway was a creation of the self-centred DGM who work at the whim of Guwahati zonal office, Ranjit asserted.
He further dismissed the DGM's claim about presence of 30,305 metric tonnes of rice in stock which would last for 60 days as misleading.
The presence of around 30,000 metric tonnes of rice is inclusive of the rice stocks available in FCS godowns.
There are just around 14,000 metric tonnes of rice at the FCI godowns of Sangaiprou and Koirengei.
Ranjit also questioned where have the rice consignments lifted in the month of August disappeared.
Saying that rice consumption rate of the State is 505 metric tonnes, Ranjit contended that the total rice quantity which the DGM claimed to be available would last just 40 days, not 60 days.
On the other hand, trucks loaded with rice from Golaghat and Jagiroad are presently stranded at Garampani, Assam on their way to Imphal along Imphal-Dimapur highway.
As such, no one is sure when the rice laden trucks would reach Imphal.
Saying that transporters as well as public prefer Imphal-Jiribam highway to Imphal-Dimapur highway, Ranjit questioned as to why the DGM did not wish transporters to take Imphal-Jiribam highway.
Transportation of truck load of rice from Jiribam to Imphal cost just around Rs 37000/38000 per trip whereas one trip along Imphal-Dimapur highway costs Rs 60,000 .
Taking strong exception to the FCI's authority permission to transport rice along the route which entails much higher transportation charge, Ranjit asked if there was any hidden motive.
DGM Ksh Thoiba has prohibited transportation of rice by railway from Lumding to Jiribam.
Moreover, necessary permit for lifting rice along Imphal-Jiribam highway has been cancelled.
Under such conditions, how could transporters ship in rice along the highway, Ranjit questioned.
He went on to ask, "Why did the authorities not include FCI rice transporters in the convoy of trucks which left Imphal for Jiribam with security escorts on September 6?" .
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