No end to ration deadlock

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Oct. 24: Members of the Malda district MR Dealers' Association today formally informed the district controller of food and supplies that they would not lift and distribute food and other material this week. Speaking to this correspondent over telephone, the district secretary of the MR Dealers' Association, Malda, Mr Pramod Ghosh, said: "We have taken the decision in consultation with our state leadership. Tomorrow, we will hold a meeting to discuss our next step." The Malda district controller of food and supplies, Mr NK Saha, said: "We are lucky enough to get five weeks in October. Hopefully, we would execute public distribute system in the last week of this month." It was learnt that the MR dealers wanted to lift and distribute food and other material fortnightly to avoid paper works. The government, however, refused to accept the proposal. "In a district it would be impractical because dealers do not have infrastructure for fortnightly distribution," Mr NK Saha, said. "We need to appoint accountants to furnish papers to the food and supplies department officials. However, since the government remuneration is so poor, we are unable to appoint accountants. We appoint minimum two staff for distribution of rice, wheat, sugar and kerosene from our shop," said a local MR dealer.