Five thousand metric tonnes capacity cold storage is in shambles, abode of reptiles
Dr Badal tah, Rayagada, December 22 : A huge infrastructure and buildings have been constructed for cold storage since last eleven years, but not a single day they have been used and operational for the sake of farmers of Rayagada.. Crores of rupees have been spent on this cold storage over and over again. It is scary to see the thorny bushes and jungle around the cold storage, which has been a habitat of reptiles and other nocturnal animals.
In Rayagada district, seventy percent population, mostly small & marginal farmers depend on agriculture. Keeping this in mind, the then BJD government constructed this cold storage near Tumbiguda inside Rayagada town during 2013. It is becoming clear that only the developers or contractors have been benefitted, not the farmers. It was inaugurated by the then Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and it has been lying abandoned since then.
In this regard, Rayagada Constituency MLA Kadraka Appalswamy questioned Cabinet Minister Pradeep Bala Samanta about its stagnation and non-use during the last assembly session. Along with this, for the benefit of the farmers of Rayagada district, he has also proposed to make two cold storages in Rayagada and Kashipur blocks. In response to this, Samanta said that Cold storage was constructed with a capacity of 5000 metric tons, 3 warehouses of 2500, 2200 and 300 metric tones. The structure had been built on one and a half acres of land. It’s construction cost is Rs.1 crore 38 lakhs 28 thousands from Markfed’s own funds, Rs.91 lakhs by taking loan from NCDC, Rs.1.22 lakhs grant in RLTAP scheme and Rs.85.84 lakhs rupees in RKVY scheme. Total expenditure is 4 crores & 37.12 lakhs. Similarly, for its maintenance, a total of 1,84,212 rupees 72 paise was spent on the salary of a security guard between March 2023 and April 2024. He also said that as of date the cold storage had not been operational, so no income has been generated from it. The resent government has taken steps to make the cold storage facility operational again. Regarding the construction of new cold storage, Samanta said that there was no proposal for the construction of any new cold storage by the cooperative department.
It is a pity that this cold storage costing crores of rupees has not been operational till date. Bijaya Kumar Mishra, an entrprising farmer of the district, demanded that a high-level inquiry committee should be constituted to investigate the matter. The cold storage in this dormant state is not functional & in pen & paper. Looking at its peripheral environment, anyone can tell the condition of this cold storage. But according to the statement of Minister, four cold storages have been built in Rayagada district, which is not true. It remains to be seen how fast the government will take care of the farmers of Rayagada district as far as cold storage is concerned.
