Ration dealers to shut down shops from Monday

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Nov 11: Malda modified ration dealers’ association will shut down all ration shops in this district from Monday demanding security and in protest against continuous attacks, said food and supplies departmental officials today.“I have heard the information but not officially from the dealers’ association. They would hold a meeting on Monday, but we do not know whether they would go on an indefinite strike”, said Mr NK Saha the district controller, food and supplies. The Malda district modified ration dealers’ association secretary Mr Pramod Ghosh said they had primarily informed the decision to the sub divisional food controller of food and supplies and its copy forwarded to other concerned authorities including the block level. “It is not possible for us to continue the ‘public distribution business’ under tremendous pressure from public. A total of 35 dealers and their family members have been attacked by hoodlums. They have also damaged our houses, looted food materials, valuable ornaments and assets in the last few weeks”, Mr. Ghosh said.Interestingly Malda police for the first time rescued a ration dealer Mr Hemanta Sarkar from the villagers’ attack at Meghutola in Kaliachak II block three days back and then arrested him on charges of ‘breach of trust’ based on the complaints from the villagers. According to Mr Ghosh, they would hold a meeting on Monday to take ultimate decision to shut down all shops in this district and they would not lift food materials from the government depot and also not distribute it to the people.The dealers had also met district administrative officials recently and urged them to issue a general notification for the people to curb widespread rumour that people would be getting compensation of Rs 2,000 each from the M R dealers. The district administration has considered their appeal and already taken a decision to issue public notification to curb the ration fury across the district with the help of police.The dealers have reported to the district magistrate that people in Kaliachak blocks are spreading wrong information that they would be getting Rs 2000 each as 1998 flood relief compensation from M R dealers.The police as well as the food and supplies departmental officials are in trouble to control the angry mob against allegedly ‘corrupted’ rationing practices in Kaliachak, Ratua, Gazole, Habibpur, Ratua and Harischandrapur block areas. According to the food and supplies department, a total of 23 M R dealers have been suspended last week and seven more dealers are under scanner and would be suspended this week. Food officials have started inquiry against more than 75 ration dealers on the basis of the complaints received by the district magistrate, block development officials and the department itself.