Inquiry into MR dealers after Id

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Dec. 19: The inspectors of Malda food and supplies department will begin inquiry against the modified ration dealers based on the specific complaints from the people after Id, the district controller of food and supplies (DCFS) said today. The department has selected a few complaints for inquiry out of hundreds of complaints received in last two months due to public outrage across the district. “It is not possible for us to inquire into all complaints. If we suspend all hundreds of dealers before inquiry, according to government’s rules, the public distribution system will collapse in the district before Id”, said Mr Asim Basu, the Malda DCFS. “Two to three more dealers will be suspended after Id,” Mr Basu added. It may be noted that the Malda food and supplies department had suspended nearly 30 MR dealers in last three months. In last fortnight the departmental officials did not continue inquiry after suspending dealers but started counselling for the aggrieved people and requested them to collect their due food and other materials following the system of the government displayed out side the ration shops. In Kaliachak a group of people organised reconciliation meeting against a dealer Subodh Sarkar yesterday and decided to go to the court for taking action against him due to irregularities in distribution system of food and other materials allotted for nearly 1,800 heads.They said despite several reminders to the authorities no action has been taken against the dealer. Mr Basu said that he would look into the matter and if necessary the department would take action after Id if consumers do not go to the court. According to Mr. Basu there is no special allotment for Id. “There is no extra sugar for the BPL consumers (no allotment of sugar for APL) for Id special. In fact the poor people cannot lift full allotment of sugar for their family at the rate of Rs 13.75. As a result the dealers can not distribute total stock allotted based on total heads of BPL”, Mr Basu said. The government has allotted 500 gram sugar per adult head per week. But a large section of dealers cannot lift sugar every week from the distributors. Though it is alleged that dealers sell off remaining stock of sugar in open market, the DCFS has brushed aside the allegation and said: “The market rate of such sugar distributed from ration shop is lower. There is no profit for dealers for selling such quality sugar in open market”.