Indian Natural Rubber

I have received 360 pages of information from the PIO Rubber Board in response to my request under RTI Act.

On compilation of the data furnished, I have found that they have not furnished complete information requested for. I am taking up the matter again with the Board.

On scrutiny of some of the documents I have found out an interesting episode which I am publishing here for the Public.

During the month of August 2006 Pala Marketing Co-operative Society Ltd, Pala exported to various Countries a quantity of 893000 Kilograms of RSS 4 for Rs. 1902375.00 only. This would mean that average export price per Kg of RSS 4 came only to Rs. 2.13, which is unbelievable because the Domestic Market Price (Kottayam) for August 2006 was around Rs. 91.82 for RSS 4.

Similarly in the same month this Society exported 300000 Kgs of ISNR (item not specified) at an average price of Rs. 2.06 per Kg only which is also unbelievable because of the market price of Rs. 88.28 for ISNR 20.

Both pages of Pala Marketing Co-Operative Society as pdf file.

I am surprised to note that the statement of Pala Socy as said above was verified and endorsed to me as such by the PIO Rubber Board.

As per Co-operative Societies Act what ever profit is earned by them, a share goes to the Public exchequer. In this case, how and why the Society exported huge quantity of rubber incurring heavy loss is under suspicion . Rubber Board (sole authority for the management of Rubber Exports) also seems to have passed on this issue with out any remarks. I am taking up this matter also separately.

As per the monthly figure of Rubber exports published by the Board for April 2006, total exports was 5989000 Kgs, whereas, as per the information furnished to me under RTI Act the export of Rubber for the
the month of April 2006 came to 6004241 Kgs. This shows that the information provided to me is incomplete or wrong and without verification or due respect to the RTI Act. In view of this discrepancy I have not compiled the rest of the 360 pages of information provided to me. I am taking up this matter also with the PIO Rubber Board.

I had sent Rs. 700 + to the PIO for this information and it was in response to their letter stating that the information would cover 350 pages. In fact I have received so many duplicate pages, covering letters of exporters, and pages containing no relevant information adding up to the 350 pages.

In so many cases, many pages of information are missing though the available page clearly indicate the existence of other pages.

Further action is possible only after receiving wanting data from the PIO Rubber Board.