Bhadrak: Bhadrak District Collector Dilip Routrai on Saturday disguised himself as a farmer and visited the Katsahi Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS) paddy mandi under Dhamnagar block to verify the allegations of ‘katni-chhatni’.
Routray was accompanied by the District Supply Officer and Additional District Supply Officer during the field visit to the mandi. The Bhadrak District Collector was dressed in plain clothes – Bermuda pants, T-shirt, face mask, and cap with a white towel on the shoulder.
According to reports, the Bhadrak district administration swung into action after complaints regarding ‘katni-chhatni’ (underpricing of paddy) started pouring in from farmers in the district.
Concealing his identity, Routrai interacted with farmers who had come to sell their paddy at the mandi and inquired about paddy sales. He even attempted to sell paddy using another farmer’s token. When he did this, a cooperative official in charge of purchasing paddy said that around 8 kg of paddy would be deducted as wastage.
Following the field visit, Routrai issued a show-cause notice to the officials of the Katsahi PACS creating fear among the local officials.
The show cause letter issued to the Katsahi PACS secretary read, “The allegations made against your PACS was found to be true and therefore you are asked to show cause why action as deemed proper shall not be initiated against you.”
Now, the PACS secretary has to reply to the show cause notice within two days of its receipt.
