By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Residents from various localities of the town have complained of not receiving subsidised sugar for the month of September.
These residents complained that when they took up the matter with their respective Fair Price Shop (FPS) owners, they were told that the September quota will be made available along with their October quota. These consumers now ask, “Where has the September quota gone?”
Speaking to The Shillong Times, some Lumparing based residents said that they have not received sugar for the month of September. Similar complaints were also received from residents of Laban, Kench’s Trace, Polo, Pynthormkhrah, Moti Nagar, Rilbong.
A resident from Jail Road said that generally there is an allotment of sugar before the Durga Puja festival but this year there was no such arrangement. Another such resident from Moti Nagar said that all such government beneficiary schemes for the commoners are getting diverted into the black market.
Residents from these areas said that the PDS system has gone to the docks and has become so corrupted that it has become a happy hunting department for making fast money by supply officials.
However, these consumers said that rice was made available for last month but in some areas supply of rice has also been irregular.
They even said that the quality of rice is so inferior that it is being utilized by a minor section of the society. Interestingly, when these consumers took up the matter with their respective FPS they were told that they have not yet received the allotment for the month of September and so there is no supply.
Meanwhile, the DC (Supply), East Khasi Hills said that he will look into the matter immediately since he has not come across any complaints, so far.
Interestingly the official website of the East Khasi Hills District says that the last public distribution of sugar was made in the month of August, 2011 whereas whole-meal Atta was last released in June, 2011 and there is no mention of date when rice was last released.