Plastic rice triggers panic in Odisha’s Cuttack, probe ordered

Cuttack: After Nuapada district, alleged sale of Plastic rice in Odisha’s silver city Cuttack triggered panic among locals. In wake of adulteration in food grains, the district collector has ordered a probe into sale of plastic rice in the city.

Acting on the allegations of availability of plastic rice, the Food supplies department today conducted raids on godowns in Rausapatna and Malgodown in Cuttack.

The plastic rice was found by Dillip Narayan Gutu, a resident of Sheikh Bazaar in Cuttack, at his home and he brought it into notice of others in the locality.

He said that he had purchased 5-kg raw rice (Arua Chaula) of Balami variant at Rs 50 per kg in June first week. He found the rice very long, white, plain like Biryani rice, but after cooking, rice appeared separated from each other.

Dilip felt a different taste while consuming cooked rice on Wednesday. Suspecting it as plastic rice, he threw rice making it a ball at the wall and found that the ball was not broken. Even, he found the cooked rice remained fresh till Thursday.

There is no rotten smell coming out of cooked rice, said Dilip’s mother.

After getting information, Cuttack collector Nirmal Chandra Mishra directed district supply officer Amar Mohapatra for probe into the matter.

The food inspector is expected to visit Dilip’s house today and will send the rice and cooked rice samples to the laboratory for examination, sources said.

The incident came following the plastic rice sale reported from different parts of the country. Recently, plastic rice samples were found in Nuapada district in Odisha. The residents of Taraboda village demanded probe into the alleged sale of plastic rice after their children fell ill due to consumption of cooked rice that completely appeared plain and polished.

After receiving the complaint, Komna block Civil Supplies Officer said that they will examine the samples.

However, OUAT vice chancellor Surendranath Pasupalak termed the availability of plastic rice in Nuapada district as a rumour.

He said that the allegations are rumours. They are ready to examine the rice if the samples will be sent to them.

The plastic rice sale was first reported in neighbouring State West Bengal where many locals alleged that they found stock of plastic rice kept in a home. Recently, fake sugar was also found in Karnataka.