Courtesy Hiru News

The government has taken over the stocks of rice owned by large-scale rice mill owners in the Polonnaruwa area today.

Accordingly, the acquisition of stocks of Nipuna, Lathpandura, Temple, Hiru, Nivratna, and Suriya rice mills was carried out under the direct supervision of the Commissioner General of Essential Services, Major General Senarath Nivunhella, and the Chairman of the Consumer Affairs Authority.

With the acquisition of rice stocks that were not issued to the market owned by all large-scale rice mills in the Polonnaruwa area at government-controlled prices, the transportation to Sathosa outlets has commenced at the same time.

The Office of the Commissioner-General of Essential Services stated that the government intends to release these stocks of rice to the consumers as soon as possible.

The owners of the New Ratna rice mills have deliberately objected to the takeover of their stocks and obstructed the duties of officials.

The Office of the Commissioner-General of Essential Services stated that the Commissioner of Essential Services had discussed with the rice mill owners how to maintain adequate production capacity and release rice to the market without shortage after the government sets a control price for rice.

However, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has instructed the Trade Minister, the Commissioner General of Essential Services, and the Chairman of the Consumer Affairs Authority to take over and distribute the stocks of rice to the government as they have not acted as agreed.

Officers of the Consumer Affairs Authority inspected the four large-scale rice mills with the intervention of the Polonnaruwa District Secretary and the Police.

Accordingly, the government seized nearly 1.2 million kilograms of rice from 4 large-scale rice mills operating in Polonnaruwa at Rs. 03 per kilogram less than the government-controlled price.

Nadu, Samba and Kiri Samba rice stocks have been purchased there. The maximum retail price set by the government is 98 rupees per kilogram for Nadu, 103 rupees per kilogram for Samba and 125 rupees per kilogram for Kiri Samiba.

While inspecting the rice mills, a group of people gathered near a public rice mill and protested against the officials of the Consumer Affairs Authority.

Meanwhile, 200,000 kilograms of rice have been sealed in a joint raid carried out by the Anuradhapura District Consumer Affairs Authority and the police.

However, State Minister for Provincial Councils and Local Government Roshan Ranasinghe speaking to the media today stated that action should be taken to find those who are hiding paddy stocks on a large scale.

Meanwhile, another sugar warehouse in the Peliyagoda area was inspected by officials of the Consumer Affairs Authority and representatives of the Office of the Commissioner-General of Essential Services today.

The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) seized 1300 tons of illegally hidden sugar and sealed it.

Meanwhile, it has been revealed that 320 metric tons of sugar have been removed from a warehouse in the Enderamulla area in Wattala which was sealed by the Consumer Affairs Authority.

Police Special Task Force (STF) and Consumer Affairs Authority officers were on their way to inspect the warehouse when they were preparing to transport another consignment of sugar. The STF arrested two warehouse keepers and the driver of the lorry.