Probe started on ration lifting

Statesman News Service

MALDA, March 20: Officials of the district food and supplies began an inquiry into allegations against a modified ration dealer in Kaliachak II block area today following a High Court order.Mr Asmat Sheikh, from Tofi village under Hamidpur gram panchayat, filed a writ petition to the Calcutta High Court alleging that the local modified ration dealer, Mr Ainal Hoque, was lifting materials meant for the public distribution system using hundreds of ghost ration-card holders. On 26 February, the Calcutta High Court asked the Malda district controller of food and supplies to inquire into the allegation within seven days from the date of the order and send a report to the court.Today a five member team including two chief inspectors, Mr Tapan Roy and Mr Debtosh Dasgupta, held a meeting at Hamidpur gram panchayat office to inquire into the matter. The team visited houses to verify family members based on a list submitted by Mr Asmat Sheikh with the help of panchayat officials. The officials of the food and supplies department asked Mr Sheikh to take part in the meeting but he refused and objected to the holding of a meeting at the gram panchayat office. Mr Sheikh, backed by the CPI-ML Liberation leaders, urged them to hold the meeting at Hamidpur managed primary school for his safety and to ensure a fair inquiry. A group of people, backed by the alleged modified dealer, threatened him for conducting such an inquiry and seeking the help of the Court order. Mr Sheikh alleged that the district administration had conducted an inquiry earlier and held a meeting at the gram panchayat office but had taken no action against the dealer. “I finally had to seek the intervention of the High Court and filed a writ petition with the help of the CPI-ML leaders,” Mr Sheikh said. “Mr Sheikh collected the names of all the dealer's customers using the Right to Information Act. He identified at least 1,500 names out of more than 5000 ration cards as ghosts," Mr Mrityunjay Das, the lawyer and CPI-ML leader, said. The district controller of food and supplies was not available for comment because of illness. An official said: “A five member team has begun an inquiry following a mass petition.”

Code of Conduct

MALDA, March 20: The Election Commission has agreed to exempt drinking water supply-related works from the Model Code of Conduct. At a meeting with the district magistrates in Kolkata yesterday, the Chief Election Commissioner Mr N Gopalaswami agreed to allow urgent drinking water schemes in rain-fed zones to continue. These will not be included within the purview of the election code of conduct. n SNS

Kala azar

MALDA, March 20: The health department is to launch a programme of DDT-spraying in zones of Malda district affected by kala-ajar from April this year. District health officials have set up several teams of workers who will be engaged in the spraying to kill sand-flies in the affected zone. n SNS