PALAKKAD: The modern rice mill in Alathur, equipped with Asia's largest dryer system, is deteriorating due to mismanagement by the government and officials. This tragedy pertains to the Alathur Modern Rice Mill.

This mill became the center of attention when a CAG report revealed that 77 out of 131 public sector enterprises in the state were incurring losses. The mill became non-functional immediately after its inauguration. In 2008, it was established at a cost of ₹3 crore under the leadership of the Warehouse Corporation, on a six-acre plot near the Alathur National Highway. It has been shut down for 17 years. Despite several attempts to restart it during this period, none have been successful.

Rice production in Palakkad is centered in the Alathur and Chittur taluks. The goal was to collect 90% of the paddy from the farmers, turn it into rice and hand it over to Supplyco, to be distributed to the general public through ration shops. A plan for this was drafted in 1999, and land was acquired in 2001. The establishment was inaugurated by then Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan on January 1, 2008. At that time, it was also decided to establish mills in places like Thakazhi in Alappuzha and Vechur in Kottayam. Rs 5.56 crore was allocated for this purpose.

1200 tons of riceThe facility can process 40 tons of paddy daily, converting it into rice, with a monthly output of 1200 tons. The operation utilizes technology from Japan and China. It could also remove stones, dust, and husk, and use biomass fuel to operate the boiler. The water generated by the boiler was intended to help cook and dry the rice. Once operational, the mill could process all the rice collected by the Civil Supplies at subsidized rates in the district. However, after investing Rs 5 crore for repairs in 2018, the machinery is now getting rusted.

Private mill lobby behind the setback

The rice mill faced strong opposition from around 40 private mill owners and major rice companies in Palakkad, who feared it would disrupt their rice procurement. As a result of their influence on officials, it took seven years to complete the project that was initiated in 2001. The decision to hire local agricultural laborers on a daily wage basis, instead of skilled workers with technical expertise, also turned out to be a setback.