SHILLONG: Complaints of refusal of essential commodities to ration card holders in the city have arisen, of late. During a visit to Madanrting area of the city, it was learnt that ration card beneficiaries under National Food Security Act (NFSA) are deprived of their usual quota of rice, wheat, sugar and kerosene by their respective fair price shops (FPS).
Many complained that despite possessing ration cards issued by the Directorate of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, the beneficiaries are unable to procure their quota of essential commodities from the designated FPS.
They reasoned that a FPS dealer is asking for EPIC (or voter card) of beneficiaries and if they cannot produce the same, they are not supplied their essentials.
Many beneficiaries, who do not possess EPIC, said that they procured the ration cards after the last central census operations and the FPS dealer is imposing her own rules so that she can deprive the public from availing the essentials.
Many such card holders, who are daily wagers, said that they don’t even have a grain of rice in their homes and due to the attitude of the FPS dealer their condition has deteriorated further, particularly at this time when there are no scope to earn and buy from the retail markets. They even alleged that the FPS is probably selling their quota of essentials in the black market.
Despite several attempts, the FPS dealer could not be reached to ascertain the allegations.
It was learnt from the ration card holders that they were never given any essentials against their cards.
While pursuing the same with FPS dealers in the city, it was gathered that the normal practice is to disburse the essential commodities to consumers on production of ration cards and as such there is no need to produce voter cards.
One such FPS dealer from Nongthymmai area of the city, who did not wish to be named, said that the ration card itself is an essential identity proof, residential and legal address proof and hence there is no need to ask for voter card.
A senior resident of the area, while condemning the Madanrting FPS dealer, said that his son acquired permanent residency in a foreign country on the basis of the ration card issued by the state government and it is immature to ask for voter card while disbursing essential commodities to the poor householders.
Meanwhile, the affected people of Greater Madanrting said that they are only witnessing COVID-19 relief materials being distributed in various localities of the city and remote villages whereas no organisation has come, so far, in aid to ameliorate their miseries.
According to the poor residents, not even a single NGO has visited Madanrting since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic despite many other localities receiving essentials very often.
There are claims that distribution of essentials will be carried out from the office of Dorbar Shnong but the timing is not known.
The residents also wanted the local MLA Lambor Malngiang to intervene.
The EKH deputy commissioner had warned of action against errant FPS dealers and urged deprived beneficiaries to file complaints and their antecedents will be kept private.
