Was Niwunhella unaware of rice millers' plot?

With the gazette notification on rice prices issued on Thursday (02), prominent rice mills have planned to limit the daily stocks of rice they will issue, the weekly publication 'Sathi Aga Aruna' reports.

This agreement has been reached during a hushed up meeting of prominent rice mill owners in Polonnaruwa district held at a well known hotel in the area yesterday (03), it adds.

Niwunhella unaware of rice millers' plot?At the meeting, they have agreed to cut down the daily stocks to one third, and to deactivate rice milling machinery to portray that they are out of order.

The newspaper further states :

In addition, the machine operators have been sent to their homes under the guise of contracting Covid-19.

In addition, it has been decided to reduce the daily distribution of rice stocks to 10 - 30 percent.

It has been decided to put lorries transporting rice to garages for repairs.

The rice mill owners have demanded to increase the MRP of a kilo of Nadu rice to Rs. 110 from Rs. 98 mentioned in the relevant gazette.

Seven major rice mills in Polonnaruwa alone can mill upto 03 million kilos of paddy on a daily basis. A more prominent mill out of these can mill 1.2 million kilos of paddy while two others have a capacity of milling 06 kilos each.

Niwunhella inspects 4 rice mills

The report on 'Sathi Aga Aruna' has been published as newly appointed commissioner General of Essential Services - Maj. Gen. N.D.S.P. Niwunhella inspected 04 prominent rice mills in Polonnaruwa on Friday (03).

The rice mills, namely Nipuna, Araliya, Lath Sahal and New Rathna were inspected in this manner and the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has taken a report on their rice stocks.