A shop and a food grain godown have been sealed and said that samples have been collected from both the places for lab, said a source Dimapur police
By Imna Longchar, TFM Nagaland Special Correspondent
In a shocking incident, a shop and a godown were confiscated by Dimapur district administration on Tuesday after it was found allegedly for selling and storing “plastic rice grains” or “fake rice” at Naharbari Junction, Dimapur.
Officials from the district administration, food & civil supply department, Dimapur, and police, assisted by the Naharbari Village Council (NVC) and youths of the locality swung into action by checking the shop and the godown (M/S Arihant Industries) after a video went viral in the social media about the “fake rice” being sold in the shop.
A source from Dimapur police has confirmed to this correspondent that a shop and a food grain godown have been sealed and said that samples have been collected from both the places for lab examinations and for which the results of the same are awaited while both the shop and the godown have been sealed.
Chairman, NVC, Tokheli Kikon, said the selling and storing of the “fake rice” came to light only after a Naga customer (cart puller) complained about the quality of the rice for which she extended her appreciation to him.
Stating that without authenticating it, cannot simply blame the business house, she said along with youth leaders and village elders were to visit the shop and the godown to check the authenticity of the complaint, however, the video went viral on the social media after which the authorities also reached the spot.
She commented that as one cannot identify whether it is “fake or real”, only after the sample of the rice grain is tested by the competent authorities, only then the outcome would be known.
Another official from the district administration disclosed that since the alleged incident is related to rice, the food and civil supplies department will start their own enquiry while the food safety team has been informed for collection of the samples.
Stating that it is quite early to comment until the department concerned gets the result from the lab, the official also said that once the result of the samples are out and if there is any contamination found, the concerned would be booked under Essential Commodities Act and have placed proper rules to act accordingly.
It may be mentioned that, the incident came to light after a Naga handcart puller was hired by his wife’s friend to purchase rice from the shop and when he examined the same, he found out that it was mixed with some quantity of “plastic rice grains”.
He made video of the same and uploaded on the social media that went viral leading the district administrations and other to intervene.