Date:09/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/09/stories/2009010954350300.htm

Kerala - Kollam

Lorry stir: squads to check hoarding

Ignatius Pereira

State has enough food grain stock: Minister

Milk has to be brought in specially designed tankers
Monitoring systems headed by district collectors formed

KOLLAM: Milk is being brought into Kerala from neighbouring States under police escort in view of the continuing indefinite lorry strike, said Minister for Food and Civil Supplies C. Divakaran. The State imports a considerable amount of milk each day to meet its requirements, the Minister told The Hindu here over phone on Thursday.

Milk was the only essential commodity that had worried the State in view of the strike since it had to be brought exclusively in tankers designed for the purpose, he said.

There is no cause for concern over food grains since the State has a stock for two months. There is no shortage of essential commodities stock with the Civil Supplies outlets. The public distribution system too has a comfortable stock of food grains, sugar and kerosene.

To ensure that the situation is not cashed in on by the open market, special monitoring systems headed by district collectors have been set up in all districts. Daily raids will be part of the system. All unlicensed godowns would be sealed and action initiated against those who operate them. To prevent hoarding and black market, flying squads have been constituted. The squads began operations from Thursday itself.

The Minister said that any hike in prices in view of the lorry strike was unjustified since the strike began only two days ago. The stocks with the traders are old and there cannot be a price hike on old stock.

The State government is making arrangements with the Railways and the KSRTC to bring in new stocks. He said that KSRTC buses would be pressed into service to bring in essential commodities including vegetables from outside the State.