HC asks AP government if officials can stop loading of rice on ship
Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh High Court on Tuesday directed the state government to submit whether officials have the authority to stop loading of rice into ship M.V. Stella at the Kakinada Port when the petitioners have a valid license for exporting the rice.
A single judge bench headed by Justice Nimmagadda Venkateswarlu heard a batch of petitions filed separately seeking direction to the state government to allow loading of parboiled rice into the ship from the barge at Kakinada Port.
Rice mills owners, including Chitra Agri Exports managing director K.V. Bhaskar Reddy, Padma Sri Rice Mill managing director Pothamstti Gangi Reddy, and Surya Sri Rice Mill managing director Pothamstti Viswanath Reddy filed separate petitions in the High Court underlining that they are not being given permission to load parboiled rice into M.V. Stella at Kakinada Port.
During the course of hearing, the court asked whether the petitioners have all the requisite permissions to export parboiled rice and also whether officials have the authority to stop such loading of rice.
Petitioners’ counsel A. Muninandar Reddy argued that non-loading of rice is causing a loss of ₹4.20 lakh per day, as officials are not allowing the rice to be loaded onto the ship.
Additional advocate general Sambasiva Pratap submitted to the court that detailed information on the issue will be placed before the court but sought some time to do so. Accordingly, the court adjourned the case for next hearing to December 19.
