Plea for time-bound plan to set up scientific storage facilities in DPCs

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the State to file a report on a public interest litigation petition that sought a direction to the authorities to formulate and implement a time-bound State-wide Action Plan for the establishment of scientific storage infrastructure in Direct Paddy Procurement Centres (DPCs) under the control of Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation.

The direction was issued by a Division Bench of Justices N. Sathish Kumar and M. Jothiraman which was hearing a petition filed by H. Amirtharaj Hameedudeen of Thanjavur. The petitioner said the plan should include construction of permanent storage facilities, enabling authorities to frame and implement Standard Operating Procedures for scientific storage, preservation, handling, transportation and protection of paddy from rain, floods and other foreseeable risks, thereby to indemnify the farmers for the loss suffered on account of such damage in the future.

The petitioner said the petition was filed in public interest for preservation and scientific storage of paddy procured from farmers through DPCs established by the government which suffered losses of several tonnes of paddy due to negligent and improper storage.

During the period between 2019-20 and 2023-24, Tamil Nadu suffered deterioration and spoilage of approximately 3.72 lakh tonnes of paddy and rice, resulting in an estimated financial loss of nearly ₹840 crore, he said.

The loss represented not merely a financial figure but wastage of food grains produced through the hard labour of farmers, negligent use of public resources and avoidable burden upon the public exchequer. The recurring losses demonstrated the urgent necessity for comprehensive intervention to strengthen storage and preservation infrastructure throughout the State, he said.

Paddy procured by the State formed an integral component of the Public Distribution System and constituted food grain reserves intended for the benefit of economically weaker sections of society. Therefore, every instance of deterioration, spoilage or destruction of procured paddy directly affected the ability of the State to effectively discharge its food security obligations, he said.

The State government and Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation were under a public duty to ensure that food grains procured from farmers were preserved, protected and handled in a safe and scientific manner, he said. The court posted the matter for hearing to July 27.