• Inquiry exposes rain-damaged wheat stocks, fudging of figures and fake billing
• 11 members of the committee write dissenting note on the report

HYDERABAD: The committee formed by Sindh government to look into the matter of damage to wheat stocks during and after the 2022 torrential rains has found a number of officials/officers responsible for the huge loss and recommended “criminal and disciplinary proceedings” against them. It said officers/officials were found involved in misappropriation of wheat and damage to stocks. They were also found having demonstrated negligence and fudged figures of the loss.

The 211-page report has been authored by the committee’s chairman, Ali Gul Sanjrani, a member of Chief Minister’s Inspection, Enquiries and Implementation Team (CMIE&IT).

Food Secretary Khalid Mehmood Shaikh has confirmed that the inquiry report has been submitted.

The report has recommended that “artificial and fake losses” claimed by officials may be recovered from the staff involved in the forgery. It has found that damaged wheat stocks were artificially and willfully managed.

The inquiry was conducted as per the ToRs (Terms of Reference) mentioned in two notifications issued last year.

According to one notification, the committee is tasked to ascertain and re-confirm quantum of damaged wheat stocks. It is supposed to prepare separate lists, one about damaged wheat fit for human consumption and the other about damaged wheat unfit for human consumption as established through lab test.

The committee’s ToRs mentioned in the second notification were: “to prepare location-wise list of damaged wheat stocks to be auctioned; determine terms and conditions for auction of damaged wheat stock, besides dealing with bidding requirements including technical/financial evaluation.

In his inquiry report, Mr Sanjrani concluded: “Members of committee from food department were reluctant to support committee to reach actual facts, tried to favour subordinate staff and cover up scandal. Director food did not cooperate with inquiry team”.

According to the report, no robust accountability and monitoring mechanism is in place in the department from top to bottom. It is a ‘free-for-all situation’ at all levels.

“A complete review of strategy of running operations of department and ruthless accountability are inevitable,” Mr Sanjrani stressed.

Officials refuse to sign report

Dawn has learnt that at least 11 committee members (food officials) and some representatives of the DCs concerned did not sign the report, and recorded their dissenting note claiming that the committee had deviated from the ToRs “which don’t envisage fixation of responsibility”.

One of the 11 food officials claimed that the major lacuna in the inquiry was that ‘site memo’ was not prepared by the inquiry committee. “Neither we, nor representatives of the DCs concerned who are also members of the committee, signed the report because it deals with the points that are not mandated under the ToRs,” he said, adding that they were called to sign the report but they refused.

He recalled that Sindh [caretaker] cabinet had approved auction of 467,000 100kg bags of damaged wheat.

Other recommendations

The committee chairman recommended that the damaged stocks of wheat be disposed of immediately to avert possible spread of infestation of harmful agents at the [storage] centres.

Repairs and maintenance of storage centres in Sindh are urgently required. New development schemes for construction of modern storage facilities resistant to weather conditions are inevitable. Skill development of staff for safe storage and management of stocks is required.

Procurement centres and godowns may be established at locations close to farms and main roads to save higher transportation costs. Procurement process needs to be made more transparent. Strong monitoring and management system be introduced from top to bottom.

The policy and process of wheat procurement needs to be reviewed afresh and a team of senior officers be tasked to procure wheat with clear targets and through foolproof strategy and methodology.

Vigilance committees be formed to supervise each procurement centre before commencement of the process; checks and balances be ensured to contain chances of misappropriation, irregularities and corrupt practices till clearance of wheat stocks; no official already involved in misappropriation, corruption or other irregularities may be posted.

Dissenting note

A seven-point dissenting note, available with Dawn, says: “The ToRs of committee were crystal clear … but committee could not fulfill its task because standard operating procedures have not been observed like preparation of site memos and consultations amongst members. Rather self generated report is beyond the mandate assigned to committee”.

It said: “We don’t corroborate the findings made without any proper documentation hence unable to sign the report.”

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2024