Punjab food and civil supplies department on Saturday warned action against anyone bringing normal paddy from other states into Punjab under the guise of basmati.

The food and civil supplies minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu said as a part of this the department has till now lodged two FIRs for bringing normal paddy on pretext of Paddy 1509/ Basmati rice in the state.

He said that the department had a tip off that the nexus is operating Ratta Gudda grain market of district Tarn Taran following which a FIR had been registered against Partap Singh the owner of Partap Commission agent and truck driver.

The minister said there will be a complete ban on bringing paddy from other states into Punjab during the ongoing Paddy season. He said that this malpractice will never be tolerated at any cost and exemplary action will be taken against anyone indulging in it.

Ashu said last year too such cases surfaced up in the state in which some commission agents and rice milers had brought paddy purchased at cheaper rates from other states to be sold at Minimum Support Price (MSP) in the state, after which stern action was ensured.

The minister said that police have been directed to organise special checking at interstate borders to check this malpractice. He said additional director general of police RN Dhoke will be supervising the entire operations in the state from the police side.

Likewise Ashu said  deputy commissioners have been asked to organise special flying squads comprising officers of food and civil supplies, market committee, excise and police department to expedite the checking. The Minister said that elaborate arrangements have been made for the paddy season 2021-22 to ensure smooth and hassle free purchase of the paddy of farmers.

Meanwhile, the home minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa has issued strict instructions to the police department not to allow the illegal import of rice and paddy from other states to enter into Punjab.

Randhawa cautioned all the senior superintendents of police (SSPs) to put naakas at all the main roads and link roads day and night and strictly check vehicles to stop the inflow of paddy through the borders of the adjoining states of Punjab.

The minister cautioned all the SSPs that these orders should be strictly followed, especially in the districts, bordering other states, like Fazilka, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Bathinda, Mansa, Sangrur, Patiala, SAS Nagar, Rupnagar, Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur and Pathankot to ensure that no vehicle could carry out such illegal activities on any route.