A major oversight has come to light in Ballari, where nearly 24,000 quintals of jowar, worth ₹6 crore, were found to be contaminated with worms and deemed unfit for consumption. It was stored in the Karnataka State Warehousing Corporation (KSWC) godown. The worm-infested jowar had already been distributed to fair-price shops across Ballari and nearby districts.
The issue came to light during an inspection of Unit-2 godown by Upa Lokayukta Justice B. Veerappa on Friday. He found that 48,000 bags of jowar, each weighing 50 kg, were severely infested with worms.
Upon questioning KSWC manager Sharavathi and Sakina, the deputy director of Food and Civil Supplies, the officials presented a certificate from the Food Corporation of India (FCI), dated March 29, 2024, claiming that the jowar was fit for consumption. However, the grain had visibly deteriorated and was deemed unfit for even animal feed.
Justice Veerappa condemned the negligence, stating that the grain was wasted due to official irresponsibility, costing taxpayers’ money. The manager’s demand for photographic evidence with GPS data to verify his visit to the godown left the Upa Lokayukta enraged.
Justice Veerappa expressed his disappointment at the officials’ conduct, stressing that it was unacceptable. He called on the concerned minister to take immediate action against those responsible and assured that strict measures would be taken under the Karnataka Lokayukta Act to address the issue.