Such unpalatable questions are being raised, because when onion prices went up, Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel had announced on October 28 that onions would be imported through private parties.

Post-fiasco, however, on November 5, Patel pleaded ignorance and said he had learnt about the consignment that rotted in transit only from newspapers. He also said he would inquire into what happened -- though no government agency was involved in the import.

The affair has left a bitter taste in the mouth of the importer, a leading corporate house of the State, which is footing the bill for the rotting 100 tonnes. The import of some 400 tonnes was done as a favour to the State Government, on informal terms,co-ordinated by Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Utkarsh Shah.

According to well-informed sources, there was delay at every step -- from buying the onions in Iran, loading the consignment onto the ship, getting a berth at Mumbai port, and transporting it to Ahmedabad.

The importer's inexperience in handling perishables such as onions is also responsible for what happened. Apparently, the consignment was packed in airtight containers when it should have been kept in ventilated ones, said another importer, who is bringing in 400 tonnes of onions from Dubai under the open general licence (OGL).

However, all of the firms bringing in onions now balk at another round of imports, as the remaining 300 tonnes of the first consignment still lies in Mumbai port. It is unlikely to be brought here: the stink it raises has embarrassed the State Government. Officials are not willing to speak about the affair.

Director of Agricultural Marketing G K Fakir said he knew nothing about the issue. ``Thecooperation department is nowhere is the picture. GCCI president Utkarsh Shah requested me to help have the onions distributed. So we made the arrangement through APMC market agents,'' he said.

Shah, in turn, said, ``On the request of the State Government, we decided to coordinate the imports.'' Shah was vehement that he was nowhere in the picture.